THE SPANISH SERIES VALLADOLID, OVIEDO, SEGOVIA ZAMORA, AVILA, AND ZARAGOZA THE SPANISH SERIES _EDITED BY ALBERT F. CALVERT_ GOYA TOLEDO SEVILLE MURILLO CORDOVA VELAZQUEZ CERVANTES THE PRADO THE ESCORIAL SPANISH ARMS AND ARMOUR GRANADA AND THE ALHAMBRA LEON, BURGOS, AND SALAMANCA VALLADOLID, OVIEDO, SEGOVIA, ZAMORA, AVILA, AND ZARAGOZA _In preparation._ MADRID GALICIA EL GRECO CITIES OF ANDALUCIA MURCIA AND VALENCIA ROYAL PALACES OF SPAIN TAPESTRIES OF THE ROYAL PALACE CATALONIA AND BALEARIC ISLANDS SANTANDER, BISCAYA, AND NAVARRE VALLADOLID, OVIEDO SEGOVIA, ZAMORA AVILA, & ZARAGOZA AN HISTORICAL & DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT, BY ALBERT F. CALVERT, WITH 413 ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY MCMVIII Edinburgh: T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty PREFACE The six cities of Spain which form the subject of the following pages are little known to English travellers. Yet no one who would understand the country can afford to pass them by. Not only are they compact of artistic and architectural treasures, but within their walls much of the history of the Spanish nation has been made. Oviedo--that little city between the mountains and the sea, so far off the beaten track--was the cradle of the monarchy, the residence and burial-place of its patriot kings. For all men of Spanish blood it is holy ground. In Zamora we have the typical city of the heroic age of Spain, the era of half-fabulous heroes, whose personalities are made known to us only by folklore and ballads.