Page:A Handbook for Travellers in Spain - Vol 1.djvu/69

Rh en España’), who has been called the Spanish Vasari, and to whom all modern writers on the subject are more or less indebted. Don Pedro Madrazo, in his ‘Catalogue of the Madrid Gallery’ (in two volumes), has given valuable and accurate information relating to the principal Spanish masters and their works.

The history of architecture in Spain is similar to that of France and other countries of Northern Europe, with, however, the essential difference that Moorish art in the Middle Ages attained in Spain as great an importance as in the East, and when combined with Christian art, a new style was formed, known by the name of Morisco or Mudejar, which is not met with out of the Spanish Peninsula, and is of great interest.

Spanish architecture may be divided, after the prehistoric period, and invasions of the Phœnicians and Carthaginians, in the following manner:—


 * 1) Roman period, until the invasions of the Goths.
 * 2) Latin Byzantine style, 5th to end of 10th centy.
 * 3) Moorish architecture, 8th to 15th centy.
 * 4) Romanesque style, 11th, 12th, and part of 13th centy.
 * 5) Pointed architecture, 13th, 14th, 15th, and part of 16th centy.
 * 6) Mudejar style, 13th, 14th, 15th, and part of 16th centy.
 * 7) Renaissance or Plateresque style, Græco-Roman, and Churrigueresque.

Monuments of this kind are frequently to be met with in the Northern Provinces, Andalucia and Minorca. An important example is the Cueva de Menga (Antequera). It consists of a gallery of stones of enormous size, which was covered with earth forming a tumulus. Dolmens, menhirs, triliths, and oscillating stones may be seen at the plain of Alava (on the road from Vitoria to Pamplona), Arios (Navarre), Sierra de Sejos (Reinosa), Luque (Cordova), &c. The Talyots near Mahon (Minorca) are extremely interesting, and well worth a visit. Consult Fergusson’s ‘Stone Monuments,’ and F. Duro’s article in ‘La Academia,’ 1877, p. 184. These studies have only begun in Spain; much therefore remains to be investigated on this subject. It is difficult to classify Phœnician or Carthaginian architecture. The walls of Tarragona, of immense polygonal stones, similar to those of the Etruscan and Greek akropolis, are of the highest interest. Their origin continues to be a matter of doubt.

Several of the inscriptions which have come down to us of this period (see ‘Corpus Inscrip.,’ vol. ii., Emil Hübner) mention different buildings of public utility and adornment which were in course of construction in Spain. The number which still remains is very great, and may be found in almost every province; many have, however, been sadly mutilated. The finest are undoubtedly the aqueduct at Segovia (it is constructed of huge stones, and is still used for carrying water to the town), the Bridge