PREFACE

FEW travellers have leisure enough to traverse the wide realm of tawny Spain in its every part. Those who must confine their attention to a single province naturally select Andalusia, where all the Northerner's preconceptions of the South find realization. The wild scenery of Southern Spain, the gay open-air life of the people, the monuments attesting the splendour of the extinct civilization of the Moor, the spell of romance which still holds its cities, makes this land one of the most interesting and fascinating in Europe to the artist, the archæologist, and the dreamer.

The present volume, mainly the embodiment of personal impressions and observations, is intended partly to supply the place of a guide-book to this part of the Peninsula, and with that object I have brought together as much of history, art, and topography as the traveller is likely to assimilate. Into the descriptive matter I have introduced a little gossip, which will, I hope, be not found altogether irrelevant, and may serve to beguile the tedium of a bare recital of facts.

While I have endeavoured to make the book as useful to travellers as within the prescribed limits was possible, I have essayed to give it, by means of the illustrations, a more permanent value. It is on the brush rather than on the pen that I have relied to convey an idea of the gorgeous panorama of Southern Spain, and to recall to the returned traveller his impressions of the land.

As a vade-mecum, then, for the tourist, and as an album and souvenir of the fairest portion of the realm of the Catholic King, I hope that the present volume will be of use to the public, despite the shortcomings it doubtless contains. For rendering these as few as possible, I have to thank several friends who have looked through the proofs. To one in particular, Mr. E. B. d'Auvergne, I am indebted for various scraps of original and entertaining information.

A. F. CALVERT.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

PAGE

CADIZ 1

CHAPTER II

Seville—THE PEARL OF ANDALUSIA12

CHAPTER III

CORDOVA86

CHAPTER IV

GRANADA107

CHAPTER V

MALAGA163

CHAPTER VI

THE WAY SOUTH169

CHAPTER VII

THE KINGDOM OF MURCIA174

CHAPTER VIII

IN THE OLD KINGDOM OF VALENCIA 186

INDEX

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Cordova—Fountain in the Patio de los NaranjosFrontispiece

PAGE

2. Ayamonte (The Gateway of Andalusia)8

3. Seville—A Street12

4. Seville—The Aceite Gate20

5. Seville—A Courtyard24

6. Seville—The Torre del Oro and the Cathedral28

7. Seville—The Giralda30

8. Seville—Gardens of the Alcazar34

9. Seville—Gardens of the Alcazar40

10. Seville—Patio de las Banderas44

11. Seville—Gardens of the Alcazar50

12. Seville—Interior of the Cathedral56

13. Seville—Patio de los Naranjos60

14. Seville—Plaza de San Fernando64

15. Seville—Casa de Pilatos68

16. Seville—Casa de Pilatos72

17. Seville—Garden of the Casa de Pilatos78

18. Seville—The Market Place80

19. Cordova—A Courtyard84

20. Cordova—Entrance to the City86

21. Cordova—Calle Cardinal Herrera88

22. Cordova—Moorish Mill90

23. Cordova—Mezquita92

24. Cordova—Patio de los Naranjos94

25. Cordova—Outer Wall of the Mosque96

26. Cordova—A Street Scene98

27. Cordova—A Street100

28. Cordova—The Bridge102

29. Cordova—Courtyard of an Inn104

30. Cordova—Old Houses near the River106

31. Granada—From the Generalife108

32. Granada—Sierra Nevada from the Alhambra Gardens110

33. Granada—Exterior of the Alhambra112

34. Granada—A Street in the Albaicin114

35. Granada—In the Market116

36. Granada—The Alhambra: The Aqueduct118

37. Granada—The Court of the Cypresses120

38. Granada—Villa on the Darro122

39. Granada—The Alhambra from San Miguel124

40. Granada—Towers of the Infantas, Alhambra126

41. Granada—Near the Alhambra128

42. Granada—Puerta del Vino, Alhambra130

43. Granada—The Alhambra: Tower of Comares132

44. Granada—The Court of the Lions: Moonlight136

45. Granada—The Generalife: Patio de la Acequia138

46. Granada—The Generalife: Court of the Cypresses140

47. Granada—Tocador de la Reina142

48. Granada—Torre de las Damas144

49. Granada—The Generalife: Court of the Cypresses146

50. Granada—Casa del Carbon148

51. Granada—Street in the Albaicin150

52. Granada—Interior of a Posada152

53. Granada—Old Houses, Cuesta del Pescado154

54. Granada—Old Ayuntamiento156

55. Granada—Street in the Old Quarter158

56. Granada—The Generalife: Patio de la Acequia160

57. Granada—A Corner in the Old Quarter162

58. Malaga—The Harbour164

59. Malaga—The Guadalmedina166

60. Malaga—A Market168

61. Malaga—Packing Lemons170

62. Ronda—The Tajo172

63. Ronda—Roman Bridges174

64. Ronda—At the Fountain176

65. Ronda—A Moorish Gateway180

66. Ronda—A Street Scene182

67. Ronda—The Market184

68. Orihuela on the River Segura186

69. Elche—A Street188

70. A Fisher Girl (Coast of Malaga)190

71. A Water Carrier192

72. Malaga—A Picador196

73. Valencia—Santa Catalina198

74. An Andalusian Dance200

75. Courting204

Map at end of Volume

The Illustrations in this Volume have been engraved and printed in England by THE MENPES PRESS, London and Watford