Dedicated to the first flickr's entity that dedicates a photo to me: madriguera.

She dedicated a hinge to me, and as I know that she like the old doors of wood, I dedicate this one to her that allows to intuit what ironwork hides behind.

It belongs to the main door of the castle of the Marquesses of Alfarràs, in Cubelles, Barcelona. This castle was built in year 1675 over the rest of an old castle dated from century XI.

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Tossa de Mar, La Selva, Girona (Spain).

ENGLISH
Detail of the door of the “Socors” (Virgin of Aid) Chapel, built during the last fourth of the 16th century, probably as a votive offering from the merchant Antoni Caixa, to thank the Virgin of Aid. The original chapel has suffered several modifications until it has acquired the present condition.

The chapel, which was originally situated on a lonely place of the outskirts, turned into a crucial point for the development of the village and also into an important religious centre, due to the enormous devotion professed to this virgin by seamen and traders.

***
Tossa de Mar is a holiday resort located in Catalonia on the Costa Brava, about 95 kilometres north of Barcelona and 100 kilometres south of the French border. It is accessible through Girona airport, some distance north.

There is ample evidence of settlements dating back to the Neolithic period, and it is believed that the area has been continuously populated since that time. Between the 4th century BC and the 1st century BC appeared the first Iberian settlements, followed shortly after by the Romans in the 1st century.

In 966 Tossa is ceded by Count Miró of Barcelona to the Abbey of Ripoll. Some two centuries latter, in 1187 Tossa is granted its charter by the Abbot of Ripoll, coinciding with the building of a church atop Mount Guardí, the remnants of which can still be seen today.

Sometime in the 12th century the mediaeval town was walled off and a castle was built on the highest point of Mt. Guardí, this castle was to be subsequently replaced by a wind mill, and this in turn by a lighthouse which is still operational.

By the year 1500 the first houses were built extra-muros to accommodate population growth. This process was greatly accelerated during the 17th and 18th centuries, shaping an urban configuration which was to remain practically unchanged until the arrival of mass tourism in the 1950s.

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CASTELLANO
Detalle de la puerta de la capilla de La Verge dels Socors, edificada en el último cuarto del s.XVI, probablemente como ex-voto del mercader Antoni Caixa, en agradecimiento a la Virgen del Socorro. La capilla original ha sufrido sucesivas remodelaciones hasta adquirir su actual fisonomía.

Situada en sus inicios en lo que era un lugar solitario del arrabal, se convirtió en un punto clave para el desarrollo urbano de Tossa y también en un importante centro religioso del lugar, debido a la gran devoción que marineros y negociantes profesaban a esta Virgen.

***
Tossa de Mar, también llamado Tossa, es un municipio de 5.260 habitantes (INE 2005) perteneciente a la provincia de Gerona, Cataluña (España). Situada en la comarca de La Selva, su ubicación en la Costa Brava hace que sea un destino turístico importante.

En la bahía de Tossa, posee un recinto amurallado románico, la Vila Vella, en un pequeño promontorio en plena playa con siete torres circulares, se estima su origen en el siglo XII para evitar los ataques de piratas. En su interior los restos de una iglesia y el palacio del gobernador del siglo XIV. Cerca del recinto se encuentran los hallazgos arqueológicos de lo que fuera una villa romana del siglo IV, la villa romana de Els Ametllers. Posee un museo municipal dentro del propio recinto con colecciones arqueológicas, de pintura local y extranjera, escultura y vidrio.

En los años 50, Ava Gardner y James Mason llegaron a la pequeña localidad para rodar "Pandora y el holandés errante" y eso le dio cierta fama al pueblo, en cuyo filme se bautizó "Esperanza".

Marc Chagall la bautizó con el nombre de "Paraíso azul" en 1933.

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Marbella, Málaga (Spain).

ENGLISH
Two Roman capitals of Jonick type that comprise of the wall of the castle of Marbella, Arab fortification of 9-10th centuries.

CASTELLANO
Dos capiteles romanos de tipo jónico que forman parte de la muralla del castillo de Marbella, fortificación árabe de los siglos IX-X.

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El Harén - La Alhambra, Granada (Spain).

Detail of the door. No cropping. / Detalle de la puerta. Sin recortar.

ENGLISH
Against the popular belief of what a Harem (Harén) was, this one was simply the king's home. The Harem was not a place where the sultan kept his wives isolated, constantly under the vigilant eyes of the eunuchs and where nobody else was allowed. The Harem was just his calm and normal home, without official receptions or protocol, the place where he could spend time with his family. A legend tells a story of Mohammed, who was often visited by friends and the faithful. One day he was playing with his grandchildren when a group of the faithful arrived to his house and, without asking for permission came into the room where Mohammed was playing on the floor with the children. Neither the prophet, nor his disciples enjoyed the scene and after that Mohammed started telling his followers that it was important to fit out a part of the house for the exclusive use of the family, a place visitors would not be allowed to enter.

It is perhaps due to this common mistake that these chambers were called Harem. This area is where the three wives of the sultan lived, although the forth wife, «the favourite wife» (sultans used to have four wives), lived separately. The fourth wife probably lived in the Tower of the Captive (Torre de la Cautiva), where Mrs Isabel de Solís, known as Zoraya in Granada, lived, as she was Muley Hacén's favourite wife. You may access the Harem going through a corridor illuminated by arches with latticework. The mirador of the south gallery of the Patio of the Lions (Patio de los Leones) is in the middle. Only the patio of these chambers remains, in the middle and with two porticoes, which have three arches each. A central arch, on the eastern portico, leads to the chambers. These chambers disappeared while Charles V Palace (Palacio de Carlos V) was built, but they were exactly like the ones on the western side. The patio walls are decorated with strips, a skirting board painted in ochre, blue and black and an eave that has plasterwork with circles and inscriptions praising the sultan and repeating the dynasty's motto.

Source: www.alhambradegranada.org/historia/alhambraharen_en.asp

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CASTELLANO
Al contrario de lo que popularmente se piensa que era un Harén, éste no es más que el hogar del mandatario, donde no hay recepciones oficiales, ni protocolo, en definitiva, donde el monarca desarrollaba su vida familiar dentro del palacio, lejos de la idea de que el Harén era donde el sultán mantenía a sus esposas alejadas del resto del mundo, constantemente vigiladas por una corte de eunucos, y donde sólo el sultán tenía el acceso permitido. Muy al contrario, la tradición dice que un día Mahoma se encontaba jugando con sus nietos, pero el profeta recibía muy a menudo y sin previo aviso visitas de amigos y fieles. Así que aquél día un grupo de fieles llegó a visitarlo sin avisar y descorrió la cortina tras la que Mahoma se revolcaba en el suelo con los niños. Parece ser que el sorprender al gran maestro en aquella actitud no fue del agrado ni del profeta ni de sus discípulos, por lo que, tras aquel incidente, Mahoma empezó a hablar a sus seguidores de que era necesario habilitar una parte de la casa para uso exclusivo de la familia, donde estuviese prohibida la entrada a los visitantes.

Quizás por este error tan habitual se le ha llamado Harén a estas dependencias, que correspondían con los aposentos de las tres esposas del sultán, aunque la cuarta esposa, que era «la favorita» (los sultares acostumbraban a tener cuatro esposas), vivía apartada de las demás, probablemente en la Torre de la Cautiva, donde habitó Doña Isabel de Solís, llamada en Granada Zoraya, y que era la favorita de Muley Hacén. Accedemos al Harén a través de un corredor iluminado por arcos con celosías, encontrando en el centro el mirador de la galería sur del Patio de los Leones. De estos aposentos únicamente queda el patio, que ocupa el centro, que posee dos pórticos de tres arcos sostenidos por columnas. Un arco central, en el pórtico oriental, nos permite acceder a las habitaciones, que eran iguales a las del lado occidental, que desaparecieron al ser construido el Palacio de Carlos V. Las paredes del patio presenta una decoración rayadas con un zócalo pintado en ocre, azul y negro, y un alero tallado, con una yesería de círculos e inscripciones de alabanza al sultán y el lema de la dinastía.

Fuente: www.alhambradegranada.org/historia/alhambraHaren.asp

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Palacio de Carlos V - La Alhambra, Granada (Spain).

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Detail in the south facade / Detalle de la fachada sur.

ENGLISH
The origin of Charles V Palace (Palacio de Carlos V) was the need for a place that would include all the comforts of the time for the Emperor and his family, as the palaces, which were their summer residence, did not cover their needs.

The Emperor ordered the construction of the palace next to the Alhambra in order to enjoy its wonders. The architect in charge of the works was Pedro Machuca, an experienced architect in love with the Renaissance. The works started in 1527 and were totally finished in 1957. The construction went through several stages, the lack of financing resources, revolts that stopped the works, etc. The building was sometimes neglected to such an extent that the ceilings collapsed.

The palace is square and its main façade is 63 meters wide and 17 meters high. Its circular patio is unique and it is the most important building of Renaissance style in Spain. Only the southern and western façades are completely decorated. The northern and southern sides are not because they are connected to the palaces of the Alhambra.

Source: www.alhambradegranada.org/historia/alhambrapcarlosv_en.asp

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CASTELLANO
El origen del Palacio de Carlos V se debió a la necesidad de un lugar que reuniese todas las comodidades de la época para el emperador y su familia, ya que el Alcázar, que era su residencia de verano, no cubría sus necesidades.

El emperador ordenó la construcción del palacio junto a la Alhambra para poder disfrutar de sus maravillas. El arquitecto encargado de la obra fue Pedro Machuca, un enamorado del renacimiento de acreditada experiencia. La construcción del palacio comenzó en 1527 y finalizó en su totalidad en 1957. La construcción pasó por varias etapas, falta de fondos, sublevaciones que pararon las obras, etcétera. Los techos llegaron a hundirse por abandono.

El palacio es cuadrado, con una fachada principal de 63 metros de ancho por 17 metros de alto. Destaca su patio circular en el centro, único en su estilo y la obra más destacada del renacimiento en España. Sólo están decoradas las fachadas sur y oeste en su totalidad. La norte y este sólo en parte, debido a que el edificio esta unido al Alcázar de la Alhambra.

Fuente: www.alhambradegranada.org/historia/alhambraPCarlosV.asp

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