The City of Murcia

The old city of Murcia was founded in 831 by Abd-Al-Rahman II at the centre of the valley, at a place where Iberian and Roman settlements were thought to exist in ancient times. With the foundation of the city of Murcia, the social upheavals in the area were meant to be kept at bay. A 50 feet tall wall was erected for the defence of the city. At one time, it comprised up to 95 towers; this gives an idea of the importance of the city as the capital of the kingdom, already an important commercial centre. Once annexed to Castile, Murcia experiences from 1266 onwards a deep transformation of its urban area, and guilds start playing an important role. It is now when certain important streets appear and mosques are replaced by Christian temples. An economic and demographic recovery takes place in the XVI century. Epidemic, floods, crises …

The town’s most important sight and the most emblematic symbol, fully integrated in its urban landscape, is undoubtedly its expressive Cathedral (1394-1462), a clear example of mixtures, of the overlapping of architectural styles - Among them, the facade, where sculpture and architecture combine to offer us a truly astonishing work of art to produce the purest expression of baroque - The chapel of Junterón, of late Renaissance. The Cathedral tower is ninety-two metres high with Tuscan and baroque styles and the Chapel of Los Vélez is a veritable jewel dating from the Gothic Period no doubt the most emblematic of all is the temple with Gothic aesthetics combined with ornaments of marked Islamic influences. Inside the Cathedral we will find the Museum of Holy Art and, opposite, on the other side of the square, the Bishop’s Palace.

The 19th century has left us a great deal of architecture, we might highlight the Town Hall of Murcia, the Romea Theatre and the Casino all with remarkable decorating features. The latter, built in 1847, is a must. Its foyer contains ornate wooden paneling and friezes to high relief, with an impressive patio in neonazarite (Islamic) style. Not to mention the spectacular Louis XV ballroom, built between 1870 and 1875 in neobaroque style, the casino may be accessed through the Pompeian-style patio. The Casino has witnessed most social events in Murcia in the past century.

Other outstanding visits include the Fine Arts Museum, the Archaeological Museum, which houses one of the most complete collections of Iberian artifacts in the country. The Ramón Gaya Museum, by the Plaza de las Flores (The square of the flowers), where we can admire the work of this artist who was awarded the Velázquez Prize for the Arts, the Holy Art Museum at the Cathedral, the Hydraulic Museum of the River Water Mills, the Bullfighting Museum, as well as the Museum of Science and the City Museum, are other interesting visits.

In many of the towns great bars and most select restaurants we can enjoy the cuisine that is based on fresh produce from the region’s fertile lands, the Huerta de Murcia, as rich in shades as in the raw materials: the originality of every dish, zarangollo (courgettes with onions, olive oil and scrambled eggs.), pisto, Murcian salad, rice with vegetables, meat pasty... A cuisine full of imaginative dishes in the best of tastes: broad beans or chards tossed in oil, small beans with fennels, rice with small beans, vegetable stew with chickpeas and spinach, vegetable salad. Murcia offers the most varied sample of the gastronomy of the Region of Murcia . The open-air restaurants in the Huerta present their visitors with delicacies such as grilled meat, kid cutlets, lamb, potatoes with a kind of spicy garlic sauce, roasted kid, morcillas (similar to black pudding, and longanizas (spicy red sausage).

An extensive range of shops, both traditional and new, offers visitors the most varied selection of ideas. As far as gastronomic products are concerned, it is enough to visit one of the local markets: vegetables preserves, sausage meats, paprika of certified origin, and salted fish products such as la hueva (roe) and la mojama (dried salted tuna). As far as sweet dishes are concerned, we might mention the local meat pie or the sweet and savoury combination of the pastel de Cierva and pastel de Salteadores. Under the heading of handicrafts, we might mention the local products made of clay, toys made of cardboard, stationary wickerwork, ironwork and embroidery, without forgetting the typical nativity scenes, veritable works of art inspired by the unrivalled delights of Salzillo´s work. All of these products can be found at both the Regional Handicrafts Centre, as well as in the shops located around the Cathedral.

The calendar of festivities in Murcia is full of a wealth of different events. The Easter or Holy week, has been declared by law of national tourist interest, with the procession of “los Coloraos” (the red ones), late on the evening of Holy Wednesday, and the Good Friday procession, with all the magnificent sculptures by Salzillo. The spring festival begins on Easter Sunday. The colour and atmosphere of the Huerta flood the city; at the Bando de la Huerta (Proclamation of la Huerta) everyone is supposed to dress up in the Regional costume. The climax to these fiestas is the Burial of the Sardine, celebrating the end of Lent, a great parade where fireworks and thousands of free toys surround the burning of the sardine, a purification ritual.

At the Museum of la Huerta, in Alcantarilla, among other tools and objects, visitors will discover a typical barraca or thatched farmhouse, a modest peasant dwelling that has existed for over four centuries, as well as the water-wheel of Moorish origin that, alongside the Water-wheel of La Ñora, recalls the important role that water has played and continues to play in the development of this region. We can also admire the shrine of la Virgen de Fuensanta, the town’s patron saint, which is located in Algezares, with profound agricultural traditions, the Monastery of los Jerónimos, maybe the Murcian “Escorial”, located in the district of Guadalupe. Among the numerous archaeological remains that can be found, are those of the Castle and Small Castle and Battlements of Larache, in Monteagudo, the Early Christian Basilica of Algezares and the Early Christian Martyrs of La Alberca and the natural parks of El Valle and Carrascoy, open to the visitor who decides to explore trails and pathways, which will guide all over the huerta, alongside the ancient irrigation channels.