1.
Iglesia de San Pablo, Valladolid
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The Iglesia conventual de San Pablo or San Pablo de Valladolid is a church and former convent, of Isabelline style, in the city of Valladolid, in Castile and León, Spain. The church was commissioned by Cardinal Juan de Torquemada between 1445 and 1468 and it was subsequently extended and refurbished until 1616. Kings Philip II and Philip IV of Spain were baptized in the church and it is one of the buildings considered most emblematic of the city. The church construction was commissioned by Cardinal Torquemada to replace a previous church, after Torquemadas death, bishop Alonso de Burgos funded the building of the cloister, refectory, and lower façade, as well as of the adjacent Colegio de San Gregorio with its funerary chapel. Artists who worked to the church in this include the Spanish-Flemish Juan Guas. Around 1550, Cardinal Juan Garcia Loaysa, confessor of the emperor Charles V, built the sacristy, covered with a dome decorated by stars, coat of arms of the order, the nave features rib vaults, supported by corbels in Renaissance style, added around 1540. In 1613–1616 Juan de Nates, following a design by Francisco de Mora, executed the patronal tribune, typically for the late Gothic style dominant at the time, the church has a single nave, with side chapels opening between buttresses, with a raised choir and transept. At the ends of the transept are two stone portals from the workshop of Simón de Colonia, dating to c, the left one gives access to the Chapel of the Crucifix, while the right one led to the funerary chapel of Alonso de Burgos. The façade, designed by Simón de Colonia, was completed in 1500, two phases can be distinguished in it, the first one, including the section up to the top of the central rose window, features gargoyles and sided by two spires. The entrance portal is surrounded by an arch with a wavy profile. The upper part of the façade features rectangular spaces up the summit tympanum, the stars in the background refer to the coat of arms of the Sandoval y Rojas family, of which the Duke was a member, he is buried inside the church. The interior has two chapels, housing an image of St Dominic of Guzmán, by Gregorio Fernández, and a Christ by the same artist. In the transept are two paintings by Bartolomé de Cárdenas, Calling of St Peter and the Conversion of St Paul Vivar Cantero, guía de Arquitectura Urbana de Valladolid
2.
Royal Chapel of Granada
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The Royal Chapel of Granada is a Isabelline style building located in the heart of Granada, next to the Cathedral. There are buried the Catholic Monarchs, their daughter Joanna of Castile the Mad and her husband, the Nasrid dynasty of Granada was the last Moorish dominion of Al-Andalus to fall in the Reconquista. It occurred in 1492 during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, the Catholic Monarchs chosen as burial site, Granada, created by Royal decree dated September 13 of 1504, the Royal Chapel. It was built between 1505 and 1517 in Isabelline Gothic style and dedicated to St. John the Baptist, construction began in the year 1505 by Enrique Egas in Gothic. Juan Gil de Hontañón, Juan de Badajoz the Elder and Lorenzo Vázquez de Segovia were also involved in the construction. Privilege Charter of the Catholic Monarchs, First we ordain that in the Cathedral of the city of Granada it made an honest chapel in which are and this chapel will be called of the Kings under the invocation of Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist. The 16th century is the century of the fullness of the Royal Chapel, continues to flourish with the Emperor Carlos I. The temple is decorated, the institution is enhanced, the late 18th and early 19th century brings new embarrassments to the institution. They are linked to changes, economic difficulties and the profound change in church-state relations. The liberal regime ended with the Patronage regime and the foundations of the institution becomes a fully ecclesiastical entity. Some stability brought the Concordat of 1851 which was followed by a Royal decree of reorganization of the Royal Chapels, isabel II, who visited the Chapel in 1862, promotes a new organization. With the Restoration a new balance is achieved, is manifested from the years of the centenary of the capitulation of Granada. Are as a result of this period the first scientific publications on the Chapel, in the 20th century grows the historical and artistic, archival and musical interest in the Chapel. The capitulate museum was created by Royal decree in the year 1913, with the development of the tourism in Spain in the second half of 20th century it became one of the centers of tourist attraction of the city of Granada. Recently there has been a restoration with the collaboration of the Ministry of Culture of the Junta de Andalucía, the interior of the chapel follows the same model as the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes. It has side chapels, a nave in Gothic ribbed vault, the choir is to feet with centered arch and sotochoir. On the way to the presbytery it is created a luminous effect preconceived as idea to symbolize the sun, there is a hierarchy of the transept dedicated to mausoleum separated by a monumental decorated fence forged by Master Bartolomé. In the center of the transept the tombs of Isabella and Ferdinand by Domenico Francelli and Joanna, the graves are high and marked priority and almost at the height of the tabernacle
3.
Colegio de San Gregorio
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Among other sections highlights its courtyard and its facade for its refined decoration, elegant proportions and the number of symbologies. It was founded as a teaching institution, aimed at College of Theology for Dominican friars, it has acquired a doctrinal authority and acted as a spiritual and political hotbed in the Central region of Spains Renaissance and Baroque periods. In Valladolid the Colegio Mayor Santa Cruz was also created also in late 15th-century, the foundation of the college was confirmed by with Papal Bull of Pope Innocent VIII in 1487, and accepted as Royal patronage by Queen Isabella the Catholic in 1500, after the founders death. Work began in 1488 in a process from the inside to outside, the Royal shields in the corners of the Large courtyard still do not present the Granadas symbol suggests that this part would be completed before 1492. The building is assumed to completed in 1496, unfortunately, very little documentation has been localized on its construction, without knowing conclusively who were their creators. There remains of this buildings section, finally, the confiscation and expropriation gave way to its use as a prison, a dependencies for the Civil Government, National Institute, the Normal Schools of Teachers, etc. It has two bodies framed by two buttresses, the lower hosts a vain lintel decorated with fleur-de-lys, the founders symbol repeated often enough, covered with three-centered arch in turn covered by another ogee trefoil. It draw attention to the men of the jambs and buttresses. Theories about the significance of these figures, present in buildings of 15th-century, are varied. One of its functions would be simple heraldry sculptures and it is also said that, dressed with shield and mace, were the guardians of the building, beastmen guaranteeing security. It seems to be earlier work than the rest, or even reused from other site. The pomegranate tree is topped by a big shield of the Catholic Monarchs with the St. Johns eagle held by two lions and below the Catholic Monarchss symbols also appear, the beam and arrows. Upper bodys side sections have the founders heraldic decoration and two kings of arms placed at height of the central shield, the college is organized around two courtyards. The so-called Patio de los Estudios is the access from main facade. Originally, this housed the classrooms of Physics and Metaphysics. From it access, from the left to the Friar Alonsos Chapel, the funerary chapel of Friar Alonso at first had access both from the College and from the crossings portal of the Epistle of Iglesia de San Pablo, today blinded. It was started in 1484 by Juan Guas and Juan de Talavera, being completed in 1490 after many incidents and it formerly had a rich iron balustrade fence which was replaced by a neo-Gothic parapet in the 1880s. In 1499 Simón de Colonia was commissioned to building the Sacristy at the foot, and the Corridor connecting with the college, now it can still see several sepulchers that stands
4.
Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes
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The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes is an Isabelline style monastery in Toledo, in Castile-La Mancha, Spain, built by the Catholic Monarchs. Prince John of Portugal also celebrated his victory over the Castilian army of the Catholic monarchs with a procession on each anniversary of the battle. Undoubtedly, the battle represented a political victory for the Catholic Monarchs, assuring them the throne. As summarized by the Spanish academic historian Rafael Casas and this monastery was initially named San Juan de la Reyna and was conceived to be the mausoleum of the Catholic Monarchs. They would change their plans later, choosing Granada as their burial place, the monasterys construction began in 1477 following plans drawn by architect Juan Guas, and was completed in 1504. It was dedicated to Saint John the Evangelist for use by Franciscan friars, in 1809 the monastery was badly damaged by Napoleons troops during their occupation of Toledo, and abandoned in 1835. Restoration began in 1883 but was not completed until 1967, the monastery was restored to the Franciscan order in 1954. The monastery is an example of Gothic style with Spanish and Flemish influences, the church is notable for its decoration of the coats of arms of the Catholic Monarchs held by eagles. Its cloister has a small garden, the ground floors ceiling is formed of German cross vaults set with figures of saints interspersed with animal and plant motifs, all created by the Toledo sculptor Cecilio Béjar in the 20th century. Articles Beretta, Antonio Ballesteros- Fernando el Católico, Ejército revue, Ministerio del Ejercito, Madrid, nr 16, p. 54-66, May,1941. Casas, Rafael Dominguez San Juan de los reyes, espacio funerário y aposento régio – in Boletín del Seminário de Estúdios de Arte y Arqueologia, number 56, p. 364-383, duro, Cesáreo Fernández La batalla de Toro. Datos y documentos para su monografía histórica, Madrid, Boletín de la Real Academia de la Historia, tomo 38. Palenzuela, Vicente Ángel Alvarez La guerra civil y el enfrentamiento con Portugal Serrano, António Macia- San Juan de los Reyes y la batalla de Toro. Toledo, Real Academia de Bellas Artes y Ciencias Históricas de Toledo, ISSN, 0210-6310 Spanish Wikipedia article Books Dumont, Jean La “imcomparable” Isabel la Catolica, Madrid, Encuentro Editiones, printed by Rogar-Fuenlabrada. González, Justo L. Historia del Cristianismo, Miami, Editorial Unilit, ISBN1560634766 Manchado, Ana Isabel Carrasco Isabel I de Castilla y la sombra de la ilegitimidad. Propaganda y representación en el conflicto sucesorio, Madrid, Sílex ediciones, mendonça, Manuela O Sonho da União Ibérica - guerra Luso-Castelhana 1475/1479, Lisboa, Quidnovi, book description. ISBN 978-9728998882 Chronicles Mariana, Juan de Historia General de España, tome V Barcelona, pina, Ruy de Chronica de El- rei D. Affonso V, Project Gutenberg Ebook, Biblioteca de Clássicos Portugueses, 3rd book, Lisboa. Pulgar, Hernando del Crónica de los Señores Reyes Católicos Don Fernando y Doña Isabel de Castilla y de Aragón, Valencia, resende, Garcia de - Vida e feitos d’El Rei D. João II electronic version, wikisource
5.
Aranda de Duero
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Aranda de Duero is a town and municipality, capital of the Ribera del Duero comarca, in south of the province of Burgos, in Castile and León, Spain. It has a population of roughly 33,000 people, the post code for the town is 09400. The closest airport is in Burgos, the municipality of Aranda de Duero is made up of three towns, Aranda de Duero, La Aguilera and Sinovas. Aranda de Duero is the capital of the Ribera del Duero wine region, the town is unique for having wine cellars that interconnect below the streets of the town centre. Wine clubs celebrate special events in these cellars, Aranda de Duero is at the junction of several transport routes across Spain. The N1 autovía runs north / south by Aranda, along which visitors, another important road running east to west connects Portugal with important cities on the way and the east coast. Its location at the juncture of these routes has led to Aranda de Duero acquiring a growing recognition and function as a business centre, several multinational corporations, such as Michelin and GlaxoSmithKline have large facilities in the area. A dish called Lechazo is a local speciality and this is roast baby lamb and is usually served with a basic salad and lots of torta bread for dipping in the meat juices. An ecclesiastical synod was held at Aranda in the province of Burgos in Spain, in 1473, by Alfonso Carillo, Archbishop of Toledo, to overcome the ignorance and evil lives of ecclesiastics. Among the twenty-nine canons of the council is one which says that orders shall not be conferred on those who are ignorant of Latin, several canons deal with clerical concubinage, simony, clandestine marriages, etc. The Fiestas to honour la Virgen de las Viñas take place on the first Sunday after 8 September and they last for nine days from the eve of that Sunday until the following Sunday when the Fiestas end with the traditional fireworks at midnight, followed by the sardine burial. Santa María la Real is a built by Simon de Colonia during the 15th and 16th centuries. Its most notable feature is the main doorway, above the doorway, three carved stone reliefs show Christ carrying the Cross, The Crucifixion and The Resurrection. The doorway is topped by the coat of arms of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, arandas own coats of arms is also present along with scenes from the Nativity and other Christian celebrations. Due to their deterioration, the doors have been replaced by exact copies. San Juan, a church, older than Santa Maria and gothic in style, the Council of Aranda took place in San Juan in 1473. Nowadays San Juan houses the Museo Sacro, the Virgen de las Viñas Sanctuary is a 17th-century hermitage. It is situated on a hill to the north of the town
6.
Catholic Monarchs
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The Catholic Monarchs is the joint title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They married on October 19,1469, in the city of Valladolid, Isabella was eighteen years old and it is generally accepted by most scholars that the unification of Spain can essentially be traced back to the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella. The court of Ferdinand and Isabella was constantly on the move, the title of Catholic King and Queen was bestowed on Ferdinand and Isabella by Pope Alexander VI in 1494, in recognition of their defence of the Catholic faith within their realms. Catholic monarchs or kings can also be used in a generic sense, Isabella was named heir to the throne of Castile by her half brother Henry IV of Castile in the Treaty of the Bulls of Guisando. She became Queen of Castile in 1474 and her niece, Joanna of Castile, attempted to gain the throne by bringing in the foreign help of Afonso V of Portugal, leading to the War of Castilian Succession. More recently, some speculate that Joanna was the legitimate successor, Isabellas supporters came out ahead in good part due to Aragons support through Ferdinand, and she officially won in 1479 via the Treaty of Alcáçovas. Ferdinand became the King of Aragon in 1479, the Catholic Monarchs set out to restore royal authority in Spain. To accomplish their goal, they first created a group named the Holy Brotherhood and these men were used as a judicial police force for Castile, as well as to attempt to keep Castilian nobles in check. To establish a more uniform system, the Catholic Monarchs created the Royal Council. This establishment of authority is known as the Pacification of Castile. Even after his death and the union of the crowns under one monarch, the Aragonese, Catalan, further, the monarchs continued ruling through a form of medieval contractualism, which made their rule pre-modern in a few ways. One of those is that they traveled from town to town throughout the kingdom in order to promote loyalty, another is that each community and region was connected to them via loyalty to the crown, rather than bureaucratic ties. Ferdinand and Isabella were noted for being the monarchs of the newly united Spain at the dawn of the modern era and they had a goal of conquering the Muslim kingdom of Granada and completing the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula. The beginnings of a series of known as the Granada War began with the attack on Alhama de Granada. The attack was led by two Andalusian nobles, Rodrigo Ponce de León and Diego de Merlo, the city fell to Andalusian forces in 1482. The Granada War was aided by Pope Sixtus IV by granting a tithe, after 10 years of fighting the Granada War ended in 1492 when Emir Boabdil surrendered the keys of the Alhambra Palace in Granada to the Castilian soldiers. After a number of revolts, Ferdinand and Isabella ordered the expulsion from Spain of all Jews, the Inquisition had been created in the twelfth century by Pope Lucius III to fight heresy in the south of what is now France and was constituted in a number of European kingdoms. The Catholic Monarchs decided to introduce the Inquisition to Castile, the bull gave the monarchs exclusive authority to name the inquisitors
7.
Ferdinand II of Aragon
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Ferdinand II, called the Catholic, was King of Sicily from 1468 and King of Aragon from 1479 until his death. As a consequence of his marriage to Isabella I, he was King of Castile as Ferdinand V from 1474 until her death in 1504 and he was recognised as regent of Castile for his daughter and heir, Joanna, from 1508 until his own death. In 1504, after a war with France, he became King of Naples as Ferdinand III, reuniting Naples with Sicily permanently, in 1512, he became King of Navarre by conquest. Ferdinand is today best known for his role in inaugurating the discovery of the New World, since he and that year he also fought the final war with Granada which expunged the last Islamic state on Iberian soil, thus bringing to a close the centuries-long Reconquista. At his death he was succeeded by Joanna, who co-ruled with her son, Charles V, Ferdinand was born in Sada Palace, Sos del Rey Católico, Kingdom of Aragon, as the son of John II of Aragon by his second wife, Juana Enríquez. He married Infanta Isabella, the half-sister and heiress of Henry IV of Castile, on 19 October 1469 in Valladolid, Kingdom of Castile, Isabella also belonged to the royal House of Trastámara, and the two were cousins by descent from John I of Castile. They were married with a prenuptial agreement on sharing power. He became jure uxoris King of Castile when Isabella succeeded her brother in 1474 to be crowned as Queen Isabella I of Castile. The two young monarchs were initially obliged to fight a war against Joan of Castile, the purported daughter of Henry IV. When Ferdinand succeeded his father as King of Aragon in 1479, the Crown of Castile, for the first time since the 8th century, this union created a single political unit referred to as España, the root of which is the ancient name Hispania. The various states were not formally administered as a single unit, the completion of the Reconquista was not the only significant act performed by Ferdinand and Isabella in that year. That document was signed with the defeated Moorish Emir of Granada Muhammad XII and it allowed Mudéjar Moors and converso Marrano Jews to stay, while expelling all unconverted Jews from Castile and Aragon. 1492 was also the year in which the monarchs commissioned Christopher Columbus to find a maritime route for access to Asia. In 1494 the Treaty of Tordesillas divided the world beyond Europe between Portugal and Castile for conquest and dominion purposes – by a north–south line drawn down the Atlantic Ocean. Ferdinand violated the 1492 Alhambra Decree peace treaty in 1502 by dismissing the clearly guaranteed religious freedom for Mudéjar Muslims, Ferdinand forced all Muslims in Castile and Aragon to convert, converso Moriscos, to Catholicism, or else be expelled. Some of the Muslims who remained were mudéjar artisans, who could design and this was also practised by the Spanish inquisitors on the converso Marrano Jewish population of Spain. The main architect behind the Spanish Inquisition was King Ferdinand II, Ferdinand destroyed over ten thousand Arabic manuscripts in Granada alone, burning them. The latter part of Ferdinands life was taken up with disputes with successive Kings of France over control of Italy
8.
Gothic architecture
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Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished in Europe during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture and its characteristics include the pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the flying buttress. Gothic architecture is most familiar as the architecture of many of the cathedrals, abbeys. It is also the architecture of many castles, palaces, town halls, guild halls, universities and to a less prominent extent, private dwellings, for this reason a study of Gothic architecture is largely a study of cathedrals and churches. A series of Gothic revivals began in mid-18th-century England, spread through 19th-century Europe and continued, largely for ecclesiastical and university structures, the term Gothic architecture originated as a pejorative description. Hence, François Rabelais, also of the 16th century, imagines an inscription over the door of his utopian Abbey of Thélème, Here enter no hypocrites, slipping in a slighting reference to Gotz and Ostrogotz. Authorities such as Christopher Wren lent their aid in deprecating the old medieval style, the Company disapproved of several of these new manners, which are defective and which belong for the most part to the Gothic. Gothic architecture is the architecture of the medieval period, characterised by use of the pointed arch. As an architectural style, Gothic developed primarily in ecclesiastical architecture, the greatest number of surviving Gothic buildings are churches. The Gothic style is most particularly associated with the cathedrals of Northern France. At the end of the 12th century, Europe was divided into a multitude of city states, norway came under the influence of England, while the other Scandinavian countries and Poland were influenced by trading contacts with the Hanseatic League. Angevin kings brought the Gothic tradition from France to Southern Italy, throughout Europe at this time there was a rapid growth in trade and an associated growth in towns. Germany and the Lowlands had large flourishing towns that grew in comparative peace, in trade and competition with other, or united for mutual weal. Civic building was of importance to these towns as a sign of wealth. England and France remained largely feudal and produced grand domestic architecture for their kings, dukes and bishops, the Catholic Church prevailed across Europe at this time, influencing not only faith but also wealth and power. Bishops were appointed by the lords and they often ruled as virtual princes over large estates. The early Medieval periods had seen a growth in monasticism, with several different orders being prevalent. Foremost were the Benedictines whose great abbey churches vastly outnumbered any others in France, a part of their influence was that towns developed around them and they became centers of culture, learning and commerce
9.
Renaissance architecture
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Stylistically, Renaissance architecture followed Gothic architecture and was succeeded by Baroque architecture. Developed first in Florence, with Filippo Brunelleschi as one of its innovators, the style was carried to France, Germany, England, Russia and other parts of Europe at different dates and with varying degrees of impact. Italy of the 15th century, and the city of Florence in particular, was home to the Renaissance, the scholarly approach to the architecture of the ancient coincided with the general revival of learning. A number of factors were influential in bringing this about, Italian architects had always preferred forms that were clearly defined and structural members that expressed their purpose. Many Tuscan Romanesque buildings demonstrate these characteristics, as seen in the Florence Baptistery, Italy had never fully adopted the Gothic style of architecture. In the 15th century, Florence, Venice and Naples extended their power through much of the area that surrounded them and this enabled Florence to have significant artistic influence in Milan, and through Milan, France. Successive Popes, especially Julius II, 1503–13, sought to extend the Pope’s temporal power throughout Italy, in the early Renaissance, Venice controlled sea trade over goods from the East. Trade brought wool from England to Florence, ideally located on the river for the production of fine cloth, by dominating Pisa, Florence gained a seaport, and also maintained dominance of Genoa. In this commercial climate, one family in particular turned their attention from trade to the business of money-lending. The Medici became the chief bankers to the princes of Europe, becoming virtually princes themselves as they did so, along the trade routes, and thus offered some protection by commercial interest, moved not only goods but also artists, scientists and philosophers. This commenced in the mid 15th century and gained momentum in the 16th century, the construction of the Sistine Chapel with its uniquely important decorations and the entire rebuilding of St Peters, one of Christendoms most significant churches, were part of this process. In wealthy republican Florence, the impetus for church-building was more civic than spiritual, the unfinished state of the enormous cathedral dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary did no honour to the city under her patronage. The dome inspired further religious works in Florence, through Humanism, civic pride and the promotion of civil peace and order were seen as the marks of citizenship. Some major ecclesiastical building works were commissioned, not by the church. During the Renaissance, architecture became not only a question of practice, printing played a large role in the dissemination of ideas. The first treatise on architecture was De re aedificatoria by Leon Battista Alberti in 1450 and it was to some degree dependent on Vitruviuss De architectura, a manuscript of which was discovered in 1414 in a library in Switzerland. De re aedificatoria in 1485 became the first printed book on architecture, Sebastiano Serlio produced the next important text, the first volume of which appeared in Venice in 1537, it was entitled Regole generali darchitettura. It is known as Serlios Fourth Book since it was the fourth in Serlios original plan of a treatise in seven books, in all, five books were published
10.
Flanders
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Flanders is the Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium, although there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, language, politics and history. It is one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, the demonym associated with Flanders is Fleming, while the corresponding adjective is Flemish. The official capital of Flanders is Brussels, although Brussels itself has an independent regional government, in historical contexts, Flanders originally refers to the County of Flanders, which around AD1000 stretched from the Strait of Dover to the Scheldt estuary. In accordance with late 20th century Belgian state reforms the area was made two political entities, the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region. These entities were merged, although geographically the Flemish Community, which has a cultural mandate, covers Brussels. Flanders has figured prominently in European history, as a consequence, a very sophisticated culture developed, with impressive achievements in the arts and architecture, rivaling those of northern Italy. Belgium was one of the centres of the 19th century industrial revolution, geographically, Flanders is generally flat, and has a small section of coast on the North Sea. Much of Flanders is agriculturally fertile and densely populated, with a density of almost 500 people per square kilometer. It touches France to the west near the coast, and borders the Netherlands to the north and east, the Brussels Capital Region is an enclave within the Flemish Region. Flanders has exclaves of its own, Voeren in the east is between Wallonia and the Netherlands and Baarle-Hertog in the consists of 22 exclaves surrounded by the Netherlands. It comprises 6.5 million Belgians who consider Dutch to be their mother tongue, the political subdivisions of Belgium, the Flemish Region and the Flemish Community. The first does not comprise Brussels, whereas the latter does comprise the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Brussels, the political institutions that govern both subdivisions, the operative body Flemish Government and the legislative organ Flemish Parliament. The two westernmost provinces of the Flemish Region, West Flanders and East Flanders, forming the central portion of the historic County of Flanders, a feudal territory that existed from the 8th century until its absorption by the French First Republic. Until the 1600s, this county also extended over parts of France, one of the regions conquered by the French in Flanders, namely French Flanders in the Nord department. French Flanders can be divided into two regions, Walloon Flanders and Maritime Flanders. The first region was predominantly French-speaking already in the 1600s, the latter became so in the 20th century, the city of Lille identifies itself as Flemish, and this is reflected, for instance, in the name of its local railway station TGV Lille Flandres. The region conquered by the Dutch Republic in Flanders, now part of the Dutch province of Zeeland, the significance of the County of Flanders and its counts eroded through time, but the designation remained in a very broad sense. In the Early modern period, the term Flanders was associated with the part of the Low Countries
11.
Plateresque
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It is a modification of Gothic spatial concepts and an eclectic blend of Mudéjar, Flamboyant Gothic and Lombard decorative components, as well as Renaissance elements of Tuscan origin. Examples of this syncretism are the inclusion of shields and pinnacles on facades, columns built in the Renaissance neoclassical manner, Plateresque has been considered down to current times a Renaissance style by many scholars. To others, it is its own style, and sometimes receives the designation of Protorenaissance, some even call it First Renaissance in a refusal to consider it as a style in itself, but to distinguish it from non-Spanish Renaissance works. The style is characterized by decorative facades covered with floral designs, chandeliers, festoons, fantastic creatures. The spatial arrangement, however, is more clearly Gothic-inspired and this fixation on specific parts and their spacing, without structural changes of the Gothic pattern, causes it to be often classified as simply a variation of Renaissance style. In New Spain the Plateresque acquired its own configuration, clinging tightly to its Mudéjar heritage, in the 19th century with the rise of historicism, the Plateresque architectural style was revived under the name of Monterrey Style. The name Plateresque came from the silversmith trade, Diego Ortiz de Zúñiga used it for the first time, applying it to the Royal Chapel of the Cathedral of Seville in the 17th century. Typical Plateresque facades, like those of altarpieces, were made as carefully as if they were the works of goldsmiths, and decorated as profusely. The decoration, although of various inspirations, was mainly of plant motifs, Plateresque utilized a wealth of materials, gold plates on crests and roofs, vases, etc. The proliferation of decoration for all architectural surfaces led to the creation of new surfaces and subspaces, italian elements were also being developed progressively as decoration, rustications, classical capitals, Roman arches and especially grotesques. The decoration had specific meanings and can not be read as merely decorative, thus laurels, military shields, in a similar vein, Greek and Roman myths were depicted elsewhere to represent abstract humanist ideals, so that the decorative became a means to express and disseminate Renaissance ideals. Plataresque implemented and preferred new spatial aspects, so caustrales, or stairs of open boxes, however, there were few spatial changes with respect to the Gothic tradition. In America, especially in todays Mexico, various indigenous cultures were in stages of development that can be considered Baroque when the Spanish brought with them the Plateresque style. We can speak of Plateresque that retains Gothic forms as a basis until 1530, after that date, although it continued to be used and Plateresque ornaments were still evolving, it became part of an architecture that was beginning to incorporate Renaissance ideas. But in Mexico it was not forgotten, leading to a Neo-Plateresque style in the 18th century, in any case the Plateresque, considered or not as a style, and whether exclusively Spanish or more broadly European, represents the transition between Gothic and Renaissance styles. These ornaments, which were of progressive complexity, did not influence the structure of the buildings. Something similar happened in the period in Portugal, resulting in what became known as the Manueline style. This is the period in which the Renaissance had taken hold on the Iberian Peninsula and that event occurred with the amendments by Juan de Herrera and Philip II of Spain to the design of the monastery of El Escorial, whose construction began in 1563
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