Castle Museum of San Carlos - Palma de Mallorca, Spain

 

This castle-turned museum is an old fortress built during the 17th-18th century to defend the port of Palma. It was completed in 1762 with a building of a low battery on the cliff to strengthen the defense for the port.

In 1981, it became a military museum, refurbished, and opened in 1991. It has a room for temporary exhibits, a conference room and an audio visual room for events and cultural activities.

The castle museum has magnificent panoramic views of the sea, the Bay of Palma and towns nearby. It also became as a hospital, officer's prison and battery of salvo in the previous years.

The name San Carlos was used because the vice roy at the time of the first attempts to build it was Don Carlos Coloma, Marquis of Espinar.

Old Bull Ring of Palma (Plaza de Toros de Palma) - Palma de Mallorca, Spain

 

Photo credit to the rightful owner.

Also known as the Balearic Coliseum, located on Avenida Gaspar Bennassar (named after the architect who designed it), in the northern district of the city.

The bull ring has 4 boxes (north, south, east, west), and measures 44.5 meters in diameter and has 11,620-seat capacity. The place looks old and deserted and unmaintained, but still being used for concerts and bull fights once in a while, and other sporting events.

It was said that bull fights were at its peak during the 1970's and 80's, and there was a time that it became prohibited due to animal exploitation issues, but bull fights are still being held here.

The stadium these days is an open tourist attraction, for tourists who become curious in seeing a bull ring (without the bull fight).

The only downside about this tour is that it lack complete information, like a museum or some sort of displays to help people learn about the facts more.

Casa Batllo, - Barcelona's Modernist Museum

 A building centered in Barcelona is an eye-catching masterpiece by Antoni Gaudi, - one of the best Spanish architect in Spain, is the Casa Battlo.

It was formerly called "House of Bones" due to its visceral, skeletal organic quality. It is exactly located along Passeig de Gracia, in the Eixample district.

Gaudi redesigned it in 1904, then underwent a lot of refurbishments after that, with the help of other assistants of Gaudi.

Most of the facade is decorated with colorful mosaics made of broken ceramic tiles. It has irregular oval windows and flowing sculpted stone works on the ground floor.

This house was built in 1877 and was brought by Josep Battlo' in 1900. He hired Gauid later to renovate and design the building with "Modernisme/Art Nouveau" architecture.

Its roof is made and designed like a dragon or dinosaur's back in an arched formation.

Inside the house is even more captivating designs of architecture, making it more unique than the other houses beside it.

Photo credits to: casabatllo.es

In 2005, it finally became a UNESCO World Heritage site, making it a popular attraction for visitors from all around the world.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma (La Seu/Palma de Mallorca) - Barcelona, Spain

 

Also known as "Cathedral of the Sea", "Cathedral of the Space", "Cathedral of the Light" and La Seu.

It is 121 meters long, 40 meters wide with a nave of 44 meters tall, built in Catalan Gothic style architecture with mixtures of Northern European modern and contemporary designs.

The Cathedral was founded by King James I of Aragon in 1229, began its construction in the 13th century and finally completed in 1630's. It is located on top of the former citadel of the Roman City within the old city of Palma, overlooking the Parc de la Mar and the Mediterranean Sea.

Inside features 3 naves resting on 44-meter tall octagonal pillars which houses the majestic Royal Chapel, and the tombs of James II, James III, Bishop Antonio Gallina and Clemente VIII.

Photo Credit by Trip Advisor

Bell tower was completed in 1498 consisting of 9 bells, the largest which is known as "Eloi". 

The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia

 

One of the major tourist attractions when in Barcelona is the large minor Basilica situated in the Eixample, district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

The original design was done by Francisco de Paula del Villar in 1882, but a year after, he resigned and was replaced by Antoni Gaudi in 1883, and was then appointed as the architect director in 1884.

The design started by del Villar was Gothic revival in a standard form, and ultimately as Gaudi continued to work on it, - he made some additions on the designs; - Art Nouveau and Modernisme (the new bulding).

Gaudi began working exclusively on the temple since 1914 until his death in 1926 and was buried in the crypt. At the time of his death, only 15-20% was completely done.

In the 1950's construction resumed to intermittent progress, and modern technologies resulted to faster progress and construction has passed the midpoint in 2010.

In October 2015, current chief architect Jordi Fauli announced that 70% of the construction has been done and is now currently in its final phase of building 6 immense steeples. Most of the church's structure is estimated to be done by year 2026, - the centennial year of Gaudi's death.