The Best of Murcia Video

Introduction

Location

The Region of Murcia is located at the South-East of Spain. Despite it represents the 2.2% of the total surface area of the country, it is between three important regions; Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha and Valencia. It occupies an area of 11,317 km2 and it is the ninth biggest of the Autonomous Communities from Spain.

Climate

In the region of Murcia there is a Mediterranean subtropical climate. The characteristics of this climate are: an average of 18ºC along the year, hot summers with temperatures that can reach 40ºC and mild winters with an average of temperature of 11ºC.

Clear skies can be seen 120-150 days a year and the hours of sun are almost 3000. It doesn’t rain a lot (300-350 mm/year), the seasons in which it rains more are autumn and spring more specifically, the months of April and October.

Population

The population of the hole region of Murcia was almost 1.500.000 inhabitants at the beginning of 2010. It had decreased a lot due to the Civil War (1936-1939) and the dictatorship that there was in Spain until 1975, a period of time in which a lot of people immigrated. It started to increase in 1976 and in Murcia the density of population is 105 inhabitants per square kilometre. 

Nowadays, the number of immigrants that Spain receives is higher that those who emigrate, but this tendency is changing due to the economic crisis.

Cultural Heritage

Because of its powerful historical tradition, the great amount of different cultures that had lived in this area, the privileged location in the Mediterranean zone and its border condition between the Meseta and Andalusia, the Murcian Region has a lot of vestiges of past times. History and tradition meet with contemporary life and relax, everything disposed to the visitor’s choice. There is also an archaeological attractive, with some sites like rock-paintings in cave-shelters from Iberian times. The bright of Roman culture is also reflected in urbanism with the theatres such as other attractive buildings from ancient cultures like Visigothic cities, Christian castles, Arab medinas, churches and temples, watch-towers, civil and military constructions...

Cuisine

According to the position of region of Murcia in Spain we can cook a lot of produts, fresh vegetables, meat and some seafood. While the Romans were here we learnt to make making preserves and salted fish; the Arabs, introduced rice and taught people how to grow and cook it.

In the lands there are a lot of trees that give us olives. With oil, bread and wine you have  the three mainstays of the Mediterranean Diet.

When it is a rainy day, we like eating migas ruleras, made from flour with oil, water, salt and a lot of patience. When in season, in Calasparra they love eating rice with snails.

Handicrafts

Handicraft are one of the most important points since they show how the region’s culture and customs are. Handicraft from Murcia is characterized by making objects and shapes with some rural and hard materials as wood, clay, sparto, metal,etc. These elements reflect how there is possibility to make handmade items beyond using plastic materials.

Nature

Murcia has a lot of variety both in cultural traditions and nature. In the coast there are a lot of places of ecological interest and even in the interior of the region of Murcia there are a lot of landscapes and nature conservation areas. For example, there is a kind of tortoise called “tortuga mora” that is an endangered animal and you can´t have them at home it’s illegal. A lot of people have to stop in the roads of the mountains in order to put this tortoises out of danger, far from the road because a lot of them die trying to cross the road killed by a car.

Daily life

In a normal day a university student usually gets up at half past seven, gets dressed and have breakfast. Here not everybody eats the same for breakfast, some people only drink a glass of milk, but there are other people that eat a toast with the glass of milk, and there are people that go to the university even without having breakfast.

In Murcia region there are two universities, one is in the city of Cartagena (near the coast) and the other one is in Murcia city (the capital city). The most common ways to arrive to the university are the bus,  the car, and if you live in Murcia city, the tram.

University classes usually start around nine or ten o’clock if you go to lectures in the morning or at two or three o’clock if you go in the afternoon. There are four or five hours of lectures a day, depending on the degree you are studying. Lectures are not compulsory but practical sessions are. 

A lot of students eat in the university because as we have to work in groups we spend a lot of time there.

The most common hour to go to bed is at twelve or one in the morning after having dinner.

Sources 

• http://www.murciaturistica.es/en/tourism.cultural_heritage
• http://www.mediatripa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_0925-e1297950613775.jpg
• http://www.murciaturistica.es/en/tourism.climate
• https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgdwghBdsov2CItRt7gx32y2dGWvyDdxuLbU3jFcXkVqmDxfMVc78R_th5q1X5GQfbirDIaSltTfitsxERVAifkAAEIsyFPHB57y_9c-9SAlJeUDk8UMUS0qOLiSf-jeKxj4G2qdZRiUU/s1600/DSC_0027.JPG
• http://www.murciaturistica.es/en/tourism.population
• http://reddeparquesnacionales.mma.es/parques/donana/fauna/img/188.jpg
• http://www.murciaturistica.es/en/tourism.location
• http://www.murciaturistica.es/en/tourism.gastronomy
• http://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/integra.servlets.Imagenes?METHOD=VERIMAGEN_27363&nombre=Esparto_-_Cestas_de_esparto_res_300.jpg
• http://www.murciaturistica.es/en/tourism.handicrafts
• http://www.tutiempo.net/i/Mapas/Mapa-del-tiempo-en-Murcia-1.jpg
• http://www.murciaturistica.es/en/tourism.nature

Top 5 festivals

BANDO DE LA HUERTA
“Bando de la huerta” is the name that it receives the main day of the parties in Murcia. It takes place the next Tuesday after Easter week in the named as the “Fiestas de primavera”. It consists of being all the day walking around Murcia but dressing up with the typical dress of “huertano”. In 2012 they were declared as international Tourist Interest Parties.
It begins with a Huertana mass in front of the Cathedral and then, there is a procession with the Fuensanta’ Virgin who is the patron saint of the city. Meanwhile, parks and squares begin to have a lot of people that walk and have snacks in the streets of Murcia. The youth gather in parks and squares for the “botelleo” that consists of drinking in the street and it is allowed just for this special day.
During all the week where it takes place the “Fiestas de Primavera” the huertana rocks installs stalls where it is offered the typical gastronomy Murcian food such as blood sausages, zarangollo, paparajotes or spicy sausages. There are also some performances of folk dancing
In the afternoon, it takes place the “Desfile del Bando de la Huerta” which is composed by bands, giants and floats with people dancing local jotas
The origins of this event was in 1851 when a group of young people wanted to organize it in order to mock of the huertana people but nowadays, it has completely disappeared and el Bando is a party for everybody in honour to the garden and all the traditions that are associated with it.

Source: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bando_de_la_Huerta

CABALLOS DEL VINO:

Caravaca de la Cruz is a small village located in the Region of Murcia. It is considered the fifth place of Christian pilgrimage of the world after Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liébana. This village also has a relic of a Cross. It is supposed to the Cross where Jesucrist was crucified.
Appart from this, Caravaca has a traditional festival which is called “Los caballos del Vino” (Wine’s Horses), related to the Templars.
According to the legend, at the end of the XIII century the city of Caravaca was protected by Templars. The people lived peacefully there until the Moorish (North African) entered the city. After the invasion, a big epidemic arrived and a lot of people died because of the lack of food and water. Then the Moorish who were trying to obtain water, obtained wine. So the name of the festival comes from the wine found by the Moorish and the horses which were the means of transport of that age.
From then, every year the people from Caravaca celebrate that festival every 2nd of May, Caravaca’s Day Eve.
On the 2nd of May in Caravaca, we can see horses’ races with representants of all the groups. In 2004, this festival was declarated as International Tourist Interest Party.

Sources: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caravaca_de_la_Cruz
http://www.solorural.com/caballos_del_vino.htm
http://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/s.Sl?sit=c,369,m,2794&r=ReP-21348-DETALLE_REPORTAJES

EL ENTIERRO DE LA SARDINA

The “Entierro de la Sardina” is a festival celebrated in Murcia (Spain) during “Spring Festivals”. It consists on a big parade that is a mix of carnival parade and mythological in which the main interest are the toys distributed from the floats. The parade finishes with the burning of the sardine on Saturday after Easter. It is produced near the “Puente Viejo” (Old Bridge) and then a huge fireworks display put an end to the “Spring Festival”. The week before the big parade a lot of small parades of bands and preparatory acts (like “The “Testament” and “The Vigil of the Sardine”) are performed. This festival is declared “International Tourist Interest”. The festival comes from 1851, when a group of Murcian students wanted to mimic the “mascaradas” from Madrid (Spain).

During the year, the different “agrupaciones sardineras” prepare the festival. These are: Apolo, Aquiles, Baco, Centauro, Centro Brujo, Ceres, Diana Cazadora, Eros, Hércules, Júpiter, Marte, Mercurio, Momo, Morfeo, Neptuno, Odín, Palas Atenea, Plutón, Polifemo, Saturno, Selene, Ulises and Vulcano.These groups named an annual “Gran Pez” (Big Fish) and, since 1988, a “Doña Sardina” (Misses Sardine), honorary degrees that presides symbolically the celebrations.

Sources:
www.wikipedia.com

EASTER HOLIDAYS

Easter in Murcia is a religious festival declared of International Tourist Interest (April 5th, 2011) that takes place every year between Good Friday and Easter Sunday in the city of Murcia (Spain). This is one of the Spanish Holy Week most important for their excellent sculptural heritage, highlighting the carvings of Francisco Salzillo (XVIII century). Also it is the oldest celebration in the city because brotherhood doyen, “Los Coloraos”, has its roots in the XV century. The processions are in the afternoon or evening (departing from 18:00 to 22:00 hours), except Holy Friday and Easter Sunday, when there are processions in the morning.

For ten intense days, the faithful remember the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. A total of 15 brotherhoods take to the streets his “pasos”, between long lines of penitents.

Some of the characteristic features are:

The Nazarenes penitents and stewards give candies, cute with egg, or processional prints for the public.

It has a kind of musical accompaniment only, called “la burla” and it usually go after the “pasos” that represent the most tragic moments of the passion. The groups are composed by tune drums and trumpets elongated calls car-horn.

A peculiarity is the procession of Holy Friday, it starts when the first light of sun is deposited on the front of the “Virgen Dolorosa”.

Sources: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semana_Santa_en_Murcia
http://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/s.Sl?sit=c,386,m,1287&r=ReP-17224-DETALLE_REPORTAJESPADRE

Video:
http://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/s.Sl?sit=c,386,m,1287&r=ReP-17307-DETALLE_REPORTAJESPADRE


SOS 4.8 FESTIVAL

This is a music festival which takes place in Murcia city around the month of May since 2007. It is three days long and you can enjoy a wide variety of music styles such as indie, rock and alternative music. It is located in a very big fairground which is called “La Fica”. During these days, a lot of people from different parts of Spain and even from other countries come there to have a good time with friends while listening to their favourite music. The atmosphere is quite good because you can see people with a lot of different styles but all of them with the same interests in terms of music. The festival has four scenarios where different types of music are played at the same time.
As it is a three days festival, there are a wide variety of services such as a campaign site, portable showers and toilets.
If you want to go to this festival, you have to buy an entry but it can be for one day or for the whole festival or in other words, you can obtain a season ticket. The approximate price is about 30 euros for a day and 55 for the season ticket.
Bands like The Kills, Love of Lesbian, The Zombie Kids or The Leadings.

Sources: www.sos48.com

SOURCES OF THE PHOTOS

EASTER HOLYDAYS

http://fotos.laverdad.es/200907/semana_santa_20007_084-640x640x80.jpg
http://www.floristeriafernando.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fernando-floristas-semana-santa-en-murcia-2012-2.jpg
http://noticias.terra.es/2012/gente-y-cultura/0401/fotos-media/procesion-del-santisimo-cristo-de-la-esperanza-en-la-semana-santa-de-murcia-00$599x0.jpg
http://www.deviajepormurcia.com/wp-content/uploads/murcia_semana_santa-2.jpg

SOS FESTIVAL

http://estaticos01.cache.el-mundo.net/elmundo/imagenes/2010/05/01/1272735829_0.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9GgyddiInk/TcHa7jLxegI/AAAAAAAABNU/IUWanKL7SLE/s1600/sos-post1.jpg
http://lainvoluciondelaespecie.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/sos.jpg

BANDO DE LA HUERTA

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1m6N7opJMs/Tbf2ghgEeeI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/nhcdloGTl-Q/s1600/2BANDOHUERTA.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7129/6917826792_60af474664_z.jpg
http://vertufoto.com/foto/LGQJJKQ/preview

ENTIERRO DE LA SARDINA

http://www.pueblos-espana.org/fotos_originales/7/9/5/00004795.jpg
https://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/integra.servlets.Imagenes?METHOD=VERIMAGEN_19126&nombre=072_res_300.jpg
https://www.regmurcia.com/servlet/s.Sl?sit=c,723&r=ReP-19898-DETALLE_REPORTAJES

CABALLOS DEL VINO

http://www.solorural.com/caballos-del-vino-2.JPG
http://fotos.laverdad.es/200907/los_caballos_del_vino_4-640x640x80.jpg
http://foto-cache.laverdad.es/jpg/2/5/1241364172352.jpg

Top Five Museums

THE SALZILLO MUSEUM

The Salzillo museum was ordered to be built in 1941, and its construction finished in 1960, when it was inaugurated. 


 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Retrato_de_Francisco_Salzillo_%28Juan_Albacete%29.jpg/200px-Retrato_de_Francisco_Salzillo_%28Juan_Albacete%29.jpg

On the inside of the museum there are kept the most important  sculptures of Salzillo, who was an important sculptor of the XVIII Century  and very known in Murcia as his sculptures go outside the museum every year to take part in the Easter processions.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Laoraciondelhuertomurcia.JPG/800px-Laoraciondelhuertomurcia.JPG

The museum consists of the joint of two spaces: the museum gallery and the Jesus Church, and it has several galleries. On them there are kept the Belen and the most important sculptures of Salzillo from the XVIII Century.

.

.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/San_Juan_%28Francisco_Salzillo%29.JPG/450px-San_Juan_%28Francisco_Salzillo%29.JPG

http://www.descubriendomurcia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/paso-ultima-cena-salzillo1.jpg




THE ROMAN THEATRE MUSEUM 


The Roman Theatre Museum is situated on the Town Hall Square of Cartagena  a few metres away from the city port. It was discovered thanks to the archaeological work carried out in 1990.

The museum is divided in two separate buildings connected by an underground passage.

Parts of the Museum

1. THE CORRIDOR OF HISTORY

It explains the evolution of the solar urban theatre from the twenty-first century to the first century and it illustrates the archaeological objects recovered.

http://www.teatroromanocartagena.org

2. Room 1 THEATRE ARCHITECTURE

It contains the collection of monumental architecture. The visitor can also explore in more depth other aspects of the theatre through other exhibits, such as the interactive and virtual.

http://www.teatroromanocartagena.org

3. Room 2 THEATRE AND SOCIETY

This room brings the visitor to the knowledge of the functions of the Theater in antiquity.

4. THE CORRIDOR OF THEATRE HISTORY

The subterraneous corridor under the Santa Maria church connects the monument to the exhibition building. In this itinerary, one can view a section of the wall of the Islamic Medina and the additions that were made after the Christian conquest of the city, structures which are combined with the remains of a Roman dwelling before the construction of the theatre.

http://www.teatroromanocartagena.org

5. THE THEATRE

The Cavea with a capacity for 7.000 spectators, is divided into three horizontal sectors (moeniana).In front of the stands is the scenic facade with an articulated plant with three parts and a elevation equivalent to 16 meters high

Source: http://www.teatroromanocartagena.org

Contact: Museum of the Roman Theatre of Cartagena
Plaza del Ayuntamiento nº9, 30201 Cartagena (España) - Telf 968 504 802 

THE FINE ARTS MUSEUM

The Fine Arts Museum is opened since 1910 and it is a work of the architect Pedro Cerdán Martínez. It is divided in two buildings: Cerdán Pavilion and Contraste Pavilion. The first one houses a permanent collection and also there they organize workshops for the whole family, because the ideology of the museum is to make art closer to the visitors. The other pavilion offers temporary expositions and different administrative services. Apart from the permanent and temporary expositions, there is a virtual one with children drawings. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday.

http://www.museosdemurcia.com/mubam/webing/index.php

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF UNDERWATER ARCHAELOGY, ARQUA.     

It is located in Cartagena, a city 54km far from Murcia. It was inaugurated in 2008.

It is highly recommended to visit because it conserves archeological materials related to shipping in the Mediterranean Sea from Phoenicians through the punics, helenistics and romans times.

This institution is responsible for promoting the Spanish Underwater Cultural Heritage through its conservation, use and enjoyment as well as the study, research, diffusion and protection of the cultural heritage. In addition, its new design has deserved its exhibition at MOMA of New York. 

http://en.museoarqua.mcu.es/index.html

Some of the pieces it is possible to see are:

http://en.museoarqua.mcu.es/index.html

http://en.museoarqua.mcu.es/index.html

SCIENCE AND WATER MUSEUM

Water gallery

Opened in 1996 in Murcia city, it has two main objectives: to promote the curiosity and to bring nearer the scientific knowledge to the public in a funny an collaborative way. It is useful for adults as well as children.

There is a permanent gallery “Water gallery”. And they have also had temporal galleries like “Mediterranean forest”, “Mars” or “molecules”, as well as an own production such us “mathematician woman” or “Darwin”.

Planetarium

Source:

www.cienciayagua.org

It also has a planetarium where everybody can enjoy a simulation of the night sky watching the Milky Way with amazing virtual travels.