Spain is culture

2,000 years of history

Saragossa has a stunning legacy of monuments in the streets of the city, vestiges of the Roman, Moorish, Jewish and Christian communities who left their mark there.

A trip could begin in the famous Plaza del Pilar square, alongside the Ebro River. Here you will find three of the city's emblematic buildings: the Pilar Basilica, a Baroque jewel and universal symbol of Saragossa; the Lonja Palace, the region of Aragon's most important 16th century civil building and a venue for many exhibitions throughout the year; San Salvador Cathedral (the ‘Seo’), Aragon's most valuable and significant monument, where you will find medieval artistic styles reflected, along with Renaissance and Baroque elements.

The apse, parroquieta chapel and dome have been declared World Heritage by the UNESCO alongside other monuments in the city such as the Tower and parish church of San Pablo and the Mudejar remains of the Aljafería Palace, the most important civil construction in the 11th century in western Islam with such beautiful areas as the Santa Isabel and San Martín courtyards or the polychrome coffered ceiling in the Throne Room. All belong to the Mudejar architecture of Aragon.

In the centre of the city you can also visit the Patio de la Infanta, a beautiful example of 16th-century architecture which is home to various works by the artist Francisco de Goya. If you are interested in art by this great painter, you can see more in the Ibercaja Camón Aznar Museum (MICAZ), housed in the Renaissance Palace of the Pardo, where the four large series of engravings by Goya are displayed.

Then head to the Caesaraugusta Theatre Museum to see what was the most monumental and popular building in the Roman city. There are many witnesses to Saragossa’s imperial past to be seen - the city walls, the Forum, the River Port and the Public Baths, with their respective museums.

To enjoy nature, nothing beats the Metropolitan Water Park, a large recreation area and true open-air museum – a legacy of Expo 2008, or the classic Parque Grande or Great Park, with its wide landscaped avenues and monuments such as that dedicated to Alfonso I the ‘Warrior’ or nooks such as the Botanical Gardens.

Leisure: a range of activities

Theatres, cinemas, exhibitions, concerts, festivals, fairs... In Zaragoza a spectacular year-round cultural programme awaits you. The cultural life of the city is intense. See for yourself in the city streets or at venues like the Auditorium, the Principal Theatre or the Aragon Conference Centre. You can find all the different artistic styles in this city.

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