Personality is consequently ever uppermost in all art criticism or admiration. But it should not be influenced by the words pure, flawless, etc. Were such to be the case, there would be but one good cathedral in Spain, namely, that of Leon, a French temple built by foreigners on Spanish soil. Yet nothing is less Spanish than the cathedral of Leon. Under the circumstances, it is necessary, upon visiting Spain, to discard foreignisms and turn a Spaniard, if but for a few days. Otherwise the tourist will not understand the country's art monuments, and will be inclined to leave the peninsula as he entered it, not a whit the wiser for having come. To help the traveller to understand the whys and wherefores of Spanish architecture, I have written the "Introductory Studies." I hope they will enable him to become a Spaniard, or, at least, to join the enthusiastic army of _Hispanófilos_. C. RUDY. MADRID, _July, 1905_ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE PART I. INTRODUCTORY STUDIES I. General Remarks 11 II. Historical Arabesques 18 III. Architectural Arabesques 35 IV. Conclusion 66 PART II. GALICIA I. Santiago de Campostela 75 II. Corunna 89 III. Mondoñedo 95 IV. Lugo 102 V. Orense 110 VI. Tuy 120 VII. Bayona and Vigo 131 PART III. THE NORTH I. Oviedo 137 II. Covadonga 145 III. Leon 150 IV. Astorga 167 V. Burgos 174 VI. Santander 188 VII. Vitoria 192 VIII. Upper Rioja 196 IX. Soria 209 PART IV. WESTERN CASTILE I. Palencia 219 II. Zamora 230 III. Toro 244 IV. Salamanca 251 V. Ciudad Rodrigo 269 VI. Coria 278 VII. Plasencia 284 PART V. EASTERN CASTILE I. Valladolid 293 II. Avila 302 III. Segovia 312 IV. Madrid-Alcalá 321 V. Sigüenza 335 VI. Cuenca 342 VII. Toledo 349 Appendix 369 Index 387 [Note of Transcriber of the ebook] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Leon Cathedral (_See page 154_) _Frontispiece_ Cloister Stalls in a Monastic Church at Leon 48 Typical Retablo (Palencia) 50