Murcia

The city of Murcia is described as one of the most beautiful and historic in the country. The city stands on the banks if the river and enjoys all year round sunshine. It has the highest temperatures in the region. There is a great deal of Moorish influence in the city, not least the impressive city walls. After the reconquest, the 20 mosques in the city were turned into churches. The Cathedral is the most highly prized building in the city. The first foundation stone was laid in 1388 by Bishop Pedrosa. It took four centuries to complete. There are so many different styles and cultures within, including 23 different chapels.

 

As you wander through the city, there is a monumental building on every corner. Many are in pristine condition and those that aren't are being restored to their former glory. One building of note is the casino. Here in the 19th century, worthy citizens would sit to be admired like fish in a goldfish bowl. The palatial interior is quite amazing.

 Murcia is characterized by its old history of commerce and agriculture. Its original inhabitants, Iberian tribes, established commercial relations with Phoenicians and Greeks. Later on it became a Carthaginean colony, then a Roman colony. (Carthago Nova, today's Cartagena still reminds of that fact). The Moors established effective and modern agricultural production, which today is still an important economic factor in the region. One must remember that Murcia is a university city and as such has a large number of students in the city. The university building is of huge proportions and needs time to be examined closely. The area around the university has a wealth of lively bars and restaurants that are truly vibrant with life.

Note the Oranges in the close up above.  This picture was taken in December 2005

Among the other splendid buildings to see is the Bishop's Palace located near the Cathedral. Dated 1748 it has two wonderful facades. The Convent Church of Santa Ana is 18th century and is the third church to be built on this site, the original being1490. Here you can try the freshly baked cakes, made by the nuns and served through a revolving hatch.

 Typical cooking includes stews, salads, roasted meat, rice, and of course great sea-food along the coast. Murcia also produces wine of high quality. The Church of San Miguel stands on the site of an earlier church. The 18th century church has wonderful coloured altarpieces. The Almudi dates from 1602 and was formerly the storage place for public corn collected as tithes. It was reconditioned in 1985 and now houses the art centre and city archives.

 Among the other splendid buildings to see is the Bishop's Palace located near the Cathedral. Dated 1748 it has two wonderful facades.

Tip:  We found that a good place to park is in the main hospital car park. It is a public Car Park, so do not feel inhibited about parking there.