The travel planning and booking website TripAdvisor each year awards the Travelers'ChoiceTM Awards for Sites of Interest which, according to the portal, have been determined using an algorithm that takes into account the quantity and quality of the comments and classifications for the world's sites of interest for a year.
These awards have rewarded Spain with a total of ten Spanish sites of interest, of which three have been recognized with awards at the European level and two have been recognized in the world top 10. Let's review which Spanish monuments have been the winners.
Cordoba Cathedral
Also known as the mosque-cathedral of Córdoba, It is the first Spanish landmark with great recognition outside the country. It is worth noting the increase in positions compared to last year (fifteen places in the European ranking and three more in the national ranking) for which this year it has been awarded the sixth position in the world, second in Europe and first in Spain.
Of the architectural legacy that the Muslims left in the Iberian Peninsula, the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba is probably the most spectacular and fascinating sample, with the permission of the Alhambra in Granada. The complete evolution of the Umayyad style in Spain is summarized here, but also the Christian reconquest, because when the mosque became a cathedral, the embellishment process continued with the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles, although respecting the artistic forms of the predecessor temple. , something that did not happen often.
The Cathedral of Córdoba has been part of the World Heritage Site since 1984. When visiting it, we can see two different areas: the porticoed patio (where the minaret stands) and the prayer room. The most admired interior space is where the two-colored columns and arcades in red and white are found that produce a great chromatic effect and that constitute the most famous postcard of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba.
The Alhambra of Granada
If Granada is known worldwide for something, it is for The Alhambra, which has been recognized as a place of interest in second position nationally, eighth in the world and fourth in Europe.
This Spanish architectural jewel was built between the 1870th and XNUMXth centuries in times of the Nasrid kingdom as a palatine city and military fortress, but it was also a Christian Royal House until it was declared a monument in XNUMX. In this way, The Alhambra became a tourist attraction of such relevance that it was even proposed for the New Seven Wonders of the World.
In Spanish its name means 'red fortress', due to the reddish hue that the building acquired when the sun shone at sunset. The Alhambra in Granada is located on the Sabika hill, between the Darro and Genil river basins. This type of elevated city locations respond to a defensive and geopolitical decision very in line with the medieval mentality.
The Alcazaba, the Royal House, the Palace of Carlos V and the Patio de los Leones are some of the most popular areas of the Alhambra. So are the Generalife Gardens that are located on the Cerro del Sol hill. The most beautiful and attractive thing about these gardens is the play that arises between the light, the water and the exuberant vegetation.
The Plaza de España in Seville
The Plaza de España in Seville occupies the twelfth position at the European level and third nationally. It has increased two positions in the national ranking compared to the last edition.
The Plaza de España is located in the Parque de María Luisa and is considered one of the most spectacular spaces of regionalist architecture in the area. It was built between 1914 and 1929 on the occasion of the 1929 Seville Ibero-American Exposition and all the provinces of Spain are represented on its banks.
The structure of the square has a semi-elliptical shape to represent the brother embrace of Spain with its former colonies. It covers an area of 50.000 square meters and is bordered by a 515-meter canal spanned by four bridges.
The construction of the Plaza de España was carried out with exposed brick and decorated with ceramics, coffered ceilings, wrought and embossed iron and carved marble. In addition, the square also has two baroque style towers of about 74 meters and a central fountain, the work of Vicente Traver.
What other places of interest in Spain complete the list?
The national ranking of the Travelers' ChoiceTM awards is completed by: the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia, the Casa Batlló, the Palau de la Música Orfeo Catalana in Barcelona, the Alcázar and the Cathedral of Seville, the Royal Palace of Madrid and the Aqueduct of Segovia.
World attractions
In this new edition of the Travelers' ChoiceTM Awards for Places of Interest, Machu Picchu stands out as the best place of interest in the world and St. Peter's Basilica of the Vatican as the best in Europe according to users. In third position in the world is the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
The list of the world's top ten is completed by the Basilica of Saint Peter of the Vatican in Italy, the Taj Mahal of India, the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba (Spain), the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg, The Alhambra, of Granada (Spain), the Reflecting Pool of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC and the Cathedral of Milan.