Fact 7…

Did you know…? Spain just celebrated the Feast of the Assumption on 15th August. The Feast of the Assumption is a big public holiday also known as the Virgen de la Paloma, which has been celebrated since the 18th century. In Madrid, festivities start on 11th August and finish on the 15th, with the procession of a picture of the Virgin Mary through the streets of Madrid. What would a festival without a procession be?!

Fact 6…

Q: According to the Guinness Book of Records, how many letters does the longest Spanish word have?
A: 22. Superextraordinarísimo is listed as the longest Spanish word, meaning “most superextraordinary”. However, many dispute this claim, saying that the word isn’t in real use in Spanish. The two candidates for the longest word (23 letters) are in fact anticonstitucionalmente (“unconstitutionally”) and electroencefalografista (“electroencephalograph technician”) – not widely used admittedly, but it can be found in telephone directories!

Fact 5…

What is the significance of the kilómetro cero (zero kilometre)? The kilómetro cero is a plaque on the ground in the Puerta del Sol, one of the most popular meeting places in Madrid. It serves as the symbolic centre of Spain, and all distances in Spain are measured from that point. Many tourists have their photo taken right by the plaque. It’s a bit like standing on the Greenwich Mean Time line in Greenwich, London.

Fact 4…

Ever heard of ‘La Tomatina’? It’s a huge tomato fight festival held every year in Bunyol, south-east of Madrid, towards the coast. The next one is on 25th August so you could still go! The fight started in the 1940s and no-one really knows why. Some say it was a school food fight that got out of hand, others say that it started when tomatoes were thrown at an unpopular local politician………..

Fact 3…

Did you know that Real Madrid players are known as ‘Los Merengues’ ? Not because they dance so beautifully – (merengue is the name of  a dance or kind of music!), but because their white strip reminded a supporter of the dessert (merengue) we know as meringue. The nickname stuck!!

Fact 2…

Q: Which Spanish city is also known as ‘Roma la chica’ (little Rome)?
A: Salamanca, around 2 hours west of Madrid, due to its beautiful buildings and the fact that the city is built on four hills (I know, Rome was built on seven, but it is LITTLE Rome!). Salamanca is also home to the oldest university in Spain.

Fact 1…

To get the ball rolling, here’s some trivia about the wonderful Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Almudena in Madrid.

Q: What is it that makes this cathedral unique among all cathedrals in Spain?

A: It is the only cathedral (so far) to have been consecrated by a pope.

(However, the Archbishop of Barcelona has invited Pope Benedict to consecrate the Cathedral of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona when he visits Barcelona in November 2010.)