La Seo Cathedral, also known as el Catedral del Salvador, stands on what has been a religious site for thousands of years. There was a Roman temple here, believed to be devoted to Augustus. During the Moorish occupation this was where the main mosque stood. After the Reconquest the mosque was destroyed and a cathedral erected. It was originally Romanesque in style, although further additions were made in various architectural styles including Gothic, Renaissance, baroque and neoclassical. You'll be impressed by its interior that's full of natural light, by the outstanding 15th-century Gothic altarpiece and by St. Bernard's chapel, where Archbishop Hernando de Aragon body lies. There's a magnificent Mudejar wall outside as well.
Spain's largest baroque church and an important pilgrimage site, it's most famous for housing a pillar, which according to legend, the Virgin used as a conduit between heaven and earth in order to appear in person before Saint James the apostle. Pilgrims head directly to touch the pillar in the holy chapel on their pilgrimage, an impressive 18th-century structure built Ventura Rodríguez. The alabaster reredos sculpted by Damián Forment on the the main altarpiece in the 16th Century are the church's greatest artistic treasure. It's also worth looking at the choir stalls carved in oak and boxwood and two frescoes painted by Goya during the 18th Century. You get some marvelous views of the river and the city from the top of the towers.
This square is also known as Cathedral Square and is one of the largest in Europe. The area was formerly divided by hedges and cypress trees, but is now a huge open space, floodlit at night. It is a pedestrian square and contains some of the most important buildings in the city: Basilica of El Pilar, the Cathedral of La Seo, City Hall, La Lonja (stock market). Here you can also find the Tourist Information Office, Hispanidad Fountain and a Goya monument. The River Ebro flows regally behind it.
Originally built as a summer residence for the Muslim ruler of the area in the 11th Century, Abu Jafar al-Muqtadir. It later became the palace of the Kings of Aragon. Its interior contains several buildings from different historical periods. There's a beautiful little mosque by the entrance, Pedro IV's palace, the spectacular palace of the Catholic Monarchs and the Troubadour Tower. The finely carved ceiling in the throne room is a work of art that contains the symbols of Isabel and Fernando: the arrows and the yoke tied with the Gordian knot. The Aragonese parliament meets in this building to debate issues of regional importance.
This museum is the oldest in Aragon and one of the oldest in Spain (1848). Its collection, which became available after the appropriation of church property in 1935, are exhibited in a building designed as part of the celebrations of the Hispanic-French Exhibition of 1908. Both the Archeology and the Fine Arts sections, which are the most important, are housed in this building. The former includes remains and archaeological finds from the Prehistoric to the Islamic period. The latter is impressive because its collections of paintings and sculptures include works by important artists dating from the Gothic period right up to to the 20th century.
The Tapestry Museum in Catedral de la Seo is considered one of the best in the world, alongside those held by the National Art Treasures of Spain and the British Crown. This extraordinary collection of sixty tapestries traces the development of this intricate art-form during the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries in Europe. Those of Flemish and French origin are particularly impressive. The Chapter Museum is in the Neo-classical sacristy, which was constructed in the 18th century, and houses a collection of religious paintings and silver and goldsmith works.
This museum, inaugurated in 1986, is located in the basement of a typical Renaissance house which underwent renovation work in 1984. The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of the "Torre Nueva" (New Tower), a clock tower originally built in 1520 and finally pulled down in 1892 because it was considered unsafe. The history of the tower is traced through almost 250 photographs, documents and paintings. While you are in the area, why not include the Casa de Fortea and the Pablo Gargallo Museum, which date from the 15th and 16th centuries, in your itinerary?Admission is free.
An initiative by the residents of Palafox Street, Arrebato is a place for everyone in the vicinity to come together and get to know each other. Every month they have a special line-up of events like movie screenings and concerts featuring bands from different regions. Several of these shows are live rock and punk music concerts, which makes this place a great hangout for fans of rock. Apart from that, it's also a great place to meet and interact with the locals.
Located in the city of Zaragora, the Monastery of Comendadoras Canonesas del Santo Sepulcro is a beautiful historic site popular among tourists and locals alike. It is a designated national monument of interest since 1893.
This palace is one of the best examples of Renaissance Aragonese architecture in the city, and dates back to the 16th century. It is one of the many venues in Zaragoza where temporary exhibitions are on show. In addition, this building houses the city library, the newspaper archive, and the Municipal Archive. It is located in the historic area of the city, very near to the Plaza del Pilar. Recently, it has hosted exhibitions by important artists such as Miró and Buñuel.
The Pablo Serrano Museum is dedicated to the work of the famous Aragonese sculptor (1908-1985). The former workshops of the provincial orphanage have been restored and remodeled to house the collection belonging to the Pablo Serrano Foundation; a collection which covers an area of over 1000m2. One hundred and fifteen sculptures are exhibited in chronological order. The collection includes seventy-seven paintings by Juana Frances (Serrano's wife) and personal documents belonging to the couple. There is, in addition, a gallery dedicated to temporary exhibitions. Admission is free.
This church stands on the same foundations where the main Jewish Synagogue used to be in medieval Zaragoza. The synagogue was converted into a chapel, but destroyed in 1574. In the 16th century a church was constructed, which was renovated in the 18th century, particularly the interior. This church has the most colorful and sumptuous baroque in the city. San Carlos belonged to the Jesuits until they were expelled in 1767 whereupon it became a seminary. The seminary still has a splendid library with many old books. Admission is free.