| Show burgos first city of rebel spain has intrigue intriguing i ng history venerable place was once the capital of old castile burgos capital of rebel spain while new to the ears of present day observers has played an important part in tho the spain of the past says a bulletin from the washington D C headquarters of the national geographic society burgos with only jn inhabitants rises from the heart of b rolling plateau about miles due north of madrid continues the bulletin As capital of the province of burgos it was normally a quiet city which the hardworking hard working farmers shepherds and foresters in the province used as their market place irrigated fields form green patchwork along the valley of the arlanson Ar lanzon river but much of the district surrounding the city as s arid and and barren like parts of the tableland of mexico where water is available however good crops thrive chiefly grains and chick peas once capital of old castile while burgos may have no boast as to high rank among urban centers on the iberian peninsula it is rich in history and in architectural treasures until 1087 when the royal residence was moved to toledo it was the capital of old castile it is hinted that the crumbling castle above the city is one of the main reasons for the name of castile even after the transfer of the royal residence burgos was still the scene of much roy royal I 1 P pomp am pi splendor and treachery several sever kings were crowned there and some were born within its walls perhaps burgos most notorious son was king pedro the cruel who was reputed to decorate its his rooms with the heads of his victims columbus welcomed nere here columbus returning from his second expedition to the tabled new world was welcomed by fernando and isabella in that palatial residence of old burgos the casa de cordon the building still spreads its stone front across one side ot of the plaza de libertad royal marriages attracted to burgos the pageantry of medieval chivalry from more than one nation england sent a twelfth century princess there to become a spanish queen and later came an english king and a french duke to claim spanish wives city Is battle scarred in burgos was born el cid the national hero of spain in the struggle to the country from the moors the hilltop cas tle tie then a magnificent stronghold was the scene of his marriage to ximena who is buried with him in the cathedral one ona of the towns saddest days was waa that ot of their heros return when all doors were closed against him by the jealous kings command and the grieving populace had to do their hero worshiping silently from their windows remnants of warlike days survive in the city the castle demolished moli shed by the french after it had successfully resisted the forces of the mighty wellington flaunts its ruins from the hill four fortified gates remain as well as a pleasant walkway called the paseo maseo de los cubos cubes the promenade of the tubs because it passes a row of circular bastions of the old wall on the outskirts of burgos stands the convent of las huelgas to which only noble women were admitted its abbess for years ranked second only to tha queen of spain and had power ol of life and death the gallows and the knife over all who came cama within her jurisdiction |
