By Jimena
There is something so incredible about visiting and seeing something that’s thousands of years old in person. This past year, I’ve had the opportunity to visit many of the monuments that most people only get to see through pictures on their screens. Coming from the US, a young country, it is astonishing to see the amount of history marked all over Europe. And from my experience, these stories, monuments, and places are something that must be seen in person in order to fully capture their effect.
For example, the Colosseum in Rome. This historical arena has not only survived hundreds, if not thousands, of gladiator fights but has also withstood the test of time. Seeing a piece of architecture as iconic and monumental as the Colosseum is something that can only be described in one word: breathtaking. Around this ruin is one of those places where you’ve seen thousands of pictures taken, movies filmed and even history books written about. So if you are like me, you are well aware of how magnificent this building and its surroundings are. But even then, it doesn’t at all compare to seeing it in person. The size is massive and the architecture is beautiful but at the same time you can feel the stain of brutality left from its past purposes.
Another experience that completely surprised me was visiting the Puy du Fou España where a minuscule part of Spain’s captivating history is retold in an exciting and engaging way. The Puy du Fou is a historical amusement park that originated in France but was adopted into Spain as well in 2021. The Puy du Fou is not your typical theme park with handfuls of attractions and rides, instead, it is a spectacle-based theme park which focuses on reenacting different time periods throughout Spain’s history.
The story begins in Visigothic Spain in the 5th to 8th centuries, and ends in Modern Spain during the 19th and 20th centuries. What I enjoyed about the experience of the park was the manner in which the history was being retold. The most adequate way I can describe the presentation is like watching a movie being filmed. Every aspect of each show was thought out, even the smallest details, and was made to look as realistic as possible. One of my favorite shows, called A Pluma y Espada, was so captivating to me because of their skilled use of effects and stunts. For example, during one of the scenes they flooded the stage with water despite it being indoors. And another show that I really enjoyed was called Certeria de Reyes, meaning Falconry of Kings. This show is incredible in the aspect that it showcases over 200 types of majestic birds. Eagles, hawks and vultures soared above us in choreographed aerial duels that left us in awe. At one point during the show, an eagle dived so close to me that I thought it was going to take me with him. But it is not just a show, it is a connection to the past, to traditions and to culture that once defined royal courts influenced battlefields.
And then there is Andalusia as a whole, a region in the south of Spain. With my host family, we did a tour of Andalusia where we visited many cities such as Sevilla, Granada, Córdoba and Toledo. And after a two week road trip through Andalusia, I can say that you can feel the layers of history everywhere, but especially the enormous impact that still remains from Arab rule in the 8th century. You can see it no matter where you look, in the architecture, the landscape, the mosaics, the writing on the walls, in the food, I had the sensation of walking through a living memory. Two places where the impact of Arab rule was particularly evident was in the Alhambra in Granada and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Both of these places are hundreds of years old, but yet they still stand. Intact and magnificent, it is the fact they still exist today that shocks me the most. The Alhambra, a city within a city, stands out from my road trip because of the story it tells. The architecture is impressive in many different ways. First of all, the mosaic tiling required a high level of math to ensure each of the tiles were correctly placed. The arches you can find scattered about as well as the more technical systems, such as the water and sewer system, each played a role into the functioning city of the Alhambra. These technologies demonstrate how well developed the society was, even in 1238 during the Nasrid Dynasty. Furthermore, the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba stood out to me due to its unique mix of Islam and Catholicism. The beauty comes from the ability of the mosque-cathedral to gracefully blend these two religions that throughout history have been at war. In a physical sense allowing them to peacefully co-exist.
These experiences have made me realize that history is more than just about dates, it’s about the feeling. The feeling of lives that once lived, that once existed as we do today. It also makes one wonder how it would have been to see this magical world at its prime. Coming from someone who used to believe simply reading about history was enough, I know now that there is no replacement for the feeling of seeing these stories displayed out in front of you.
