Paris1972-Versailles2003

And here I am back in my beloved Spain! I have been coming here for years , initially as a stopping point between my trips from France to Spain over  Somport and Portalet; then we visit the city and even spent vacation time around the area. This is Jaca right facing the Pyrénées mountains! As you might know Spain is the No 2 most visited country in the world according to official tallies of the UN-WTO.

I have written several posts on it  ,but feel some is missing and I am trying to remedy this ommission of this wonderful quant city of Aragon. Let me tell you a bit more of Jaca on the Monasterio de Santa Cruz or the Holy Cross Monastery.

The Monasterio de Santa Cruz, where the daughter of a king of Aragon Ramiro I, Sancha was brough over from Santa Cruz de los Seros in 1622, been the best preserve romanesque tomb in Spain; the monastery itself was built from 1555.  The order of Benitas of sisters were in charge of the place before the reformation of 1730; the ceilings were painted al fresco in 1862.

In 1555 the nuns of the Monasterio de Santa Cruz de la Serós (Sorores) moved to Jaca, at the behest of king Felipe II, building the monastery commonly called “de las Benitas”. The monastic complex has been extensively renovated, and the double ecclesial complex monopolizes its interest such as the original crypt and the temple of San Ginés. The underground Church of Santa María was known as that of San Salvador and is a room covered with a vault and which was decorated with Romanesque paintings.

The Church of San Ginés, or high church, was ceded to the nuns by the brotherhood of San Ginés in 1579. Only the Romanesque door remains of its origins, the whole Inside it has remained, for 450 years, the best full Romanesque tomb that has been preserved in the Iberian Peninsula. The famous sarcophagus of the Countess Doña Sancha, daughter of King Ramiro I of Aragon, brought to Jaca from Santa Cruz de los Serós in 1622.

Currently the sarcophagus has been moved to one of the rooms of the Colegio de las Benedictinas, suitable to create a small museum in which in addition to being able to admire the tomb in all its splendor, it will be accompanied by eight panels of the Romanesque paintings of the Church of San Ginés, which until now were in the monastery’s private oratory and photos of the Renaissance cloister, closed to the public.The tomb is made of stone and on its sides it presents respectively a chrisom and a pair of opposite taps. On the back, chivalrous scenes are represented that look different. On the front is an allegory of the Countess’s soul represented by a naked girl carried by two angels to heaven. Two scenes of the deceased are presented on the sides as seated abbess and in a pontifical ceremony.

The Monasterio de Santa Cruz is located at the eastern end of the old town, attached to the only section of the old city wall, demolished at the beginning of the 20C. More on the monastery of the Holy Cross from the city of Jaca in Spanish which the above was translated: City of Jaca on the Monasterio de Santa Cruz

You have as usual by me some webpages for references on planning your trip here which is worth the detour.

The city of Jaca tourist office:

The Huesca Province tourist office on Jaca:

The Aragon region tourist office on Jaca:

Again, a wonderful monument in a nice old town area of beautiful Jaca, worth the detour to see the Monasterio of Santa Cruz or the Holy Cross Monastery. Hope you enjoy the tour

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

And here I am back in my beloved Spain! I have been coming here for years , initially as a stopping point between my trips from France to Spain over  Somport and Portalet; then we visit the city and even spent vacation time around the area. This is Jaca right facing the Pyrénées mountains! As you might know Spain is the No 2 most visited country in the world according to official tallies of the UN-WTO.

I have written several posts on it  ,but feel some is missing and I am trying to remedy this ommission of this wonderful quant city of Aragon. Let me tell you a bit more of Jaca on the Seminario Diocesano or Diocesan Seminary.

The Seminario Diocesano or Diocesan Seminary was built during the third decade of the 20C, at an important moment for urban planning in Jaca. At that time, the City Council had decided to demolish the medieval wall to promote growth and meet the new needs of the city. This extension is known as El Ensanche (widening the suburbs), which, as in other cities such as Madrid or Barcelona, brings together in Jaca numerous buildings with high-quality modernist features, such as this former Diocesan Seminary.

From 1610 different seminaries followed one another in the city of Jaca, but it was not until 1860 when the old Conciliar Seminary of the Immaculate Conception was officially inaugurated. This building was located on Calle del Carmen and was destroyed by a great fire in May 1924. That same year,a project for the construction of a new seminary, in the western area of the Ensanche, in a place that it allowed the Diocese to acquire large plots of land in a place close to the old city center.

The elevation of the Seminario Diocesano is made up of a ground floor and two floors in height. Its façade is divided into three large forward and raised bodies, between which two small transition elements are located, which provide the ensemble with continuity. The entire main façade is articulated on the basis of large openings framed by rectangular section pilasters, which run through the building in height. These openings are culminated by arches of very different making and proportions: lintels, semicircular, edging, panels, lowered and pointed, in mitre or pediment. This compositional alternation manages to give said façade a mobility and variety that contrasts powerfully with the uniformity of materials used in it. The new building was finally inaugurated in February 1926.

More info on the Seminario Diocesano  translated above from the city of Jaca here: City of Jaca on the Seminario Diocesano

Some additional webpages as usual for reference on planning your trip here which is worth it are

The Jaca tourist office: Jaca tourist office

The Huesca Province tourist office on Jaca in Spanish: Huesca province tourist office on Jaca

The Aragon region tourist office on Jaca:  Aragon tourist office on jaca

And once again, there you go folks ,another wonderful architecturally and historical monument in beautiful Jaca and all easy on foot. Hope you enjoy the tour.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

And here I am back in my beloved Spain! I have been coming here for years , initially as a stopping point between my trips from France to Spain over  Somport and Portalet; then we visit the city and even spent vacation time around the area. This is Jaca right facing the Pyrénées mountains! As you might know Spain is the No 2 most visited country in the world according to official tallies of the UN-WTO.

I have written several posts on it  ,but feel some is missing and I am trying to remedy this ommission of this wonderful quant city of Aragon. Let me tell you a bit more of Jaca on the Ermita de Sarsa or hermitage.

The Ermita de Sarsa or hermitage were transferred here in 1972, to preserved the remains of the Hermitage of Sarsa, of Romanesque origin. The original location was in Villar de Sarsa, an ancient town located on the slopes of the Peña Oroel. The hermitage was the parish church of this town, which was abandoned around 1970. To avoid ruining the temple, it was decided to move it to Jaca, and thus preserve it.

The Ermita de Sarsa belongs to the model of the small rural Romanesque churches, being able to date back to the second half of the 12C, quite possibly in the final years of that century. Its plant presents a single rectangular nave that would originally be covered with a two-sided wooden roof, which has not been preserved. The head is made up of a very little highlighted presbytery, covered with a barrel vault and a semicircular apse covered with a quarter sphere vault. In the center of the apse a small semi-circular arched window opens and double spill that would let the light pass into the interior of the temple. The walls are built in ashlar, with sandstone from the area, and are barely decorated, except for a bevelled impost that runs through the interior.

The access door opens at the foot of the Ermita de Sarsa, in a small front body crowned by figurative modillions, on a non-preserved rested eave. It presents three semicircular archivolts, of which the exterior and interior are smooth and the central one is decorated with three rows of jaqueas balls that denote the influence that the decoration of the Jaca Cathedral had on all the temples of Jacetania area. The archivolts get down by means of a straight impost in two jambs where, despite the erosion, several figurines and palmettes are still visible.

More information translated from the city of Jaca on the Ermita de Sarsa in Spanish here: City of Jaca on the Ermita de Sarsa

Some further webpages for reference on Jaca are

The Jaca tourist office: Jaca tourist office

The Huesca province tourist office in Spanish on Jaca: Huesca province tourist office on Jaca

The Aragon region tourist office on Jaca: Aragon region tourist office on Jaca

Another wonderful architectural and historical building of beautiful Jaca. Hope you enjoy the tour.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!