Tudela: En route

We decided at the last minute to visit Tudela, the 2nd (to Pamplona) largest city in Navarra, because it's directly between Logrono and Lleida, and found that it is unlike any other Spanish town. Rather it reminds me of medinas in Morocco, i.e. maps/GPS don't really help, neither is looking up and around for landmarks, I'm always confused direction wise. To be truthful, it was really only a small area.

Tudela is also the only town that acknowledges/promotes that their very magnificent Romanesque cathedral is built on top of a mosque, which I suspect happened a lot. For a town in the middle of vegetable growing region (we just missed their vegetable festival), Tudela seemed rather sophisticated; an art exhibit opening on a Wednesday evening, on Tuesday, a talk on "Artificial Intelligence and Democracy."

It's an easy walk from the bus station + train station complex to Plaza de los Fueros, the city center. And at dusk.

We arrived at 12:30 and, after hitting the TI and checking in to our guesthouse, started touring the city straight away, first to Palacio Del Marques De San Adrian, a Renaissance palace from the 1500's.



And then to Museo Muñoz Sola de Arte Moderno which houses the art collection of César Muñoz Sola plus a few of his own works. In addition there was a temporary exhibition in the basement of women's fashion styles made from vegetables (plant-based). Cool. First, a Muñoz Sola self portrait.

by Gustave Surrand.

by Paul Lecompte.

Plant based fashion styles.



And finally a few portraits by Muñoz Sola himself.

There were a couple of full-wall murals around town. This one by artist C215.

And El Guitarrista by EL MAC.

Lots of tasty veggies at Eroski market.

The Last Judgement Portal of the Cathedral was pretty amazing.

The poster for the AI and Democracy talk mentioned above.

And the art exhibit opening mentioned above.

The Baroque, 1700's, Palace of the Marquis of Huarte now houses the municipal library and archives.





From the archives.

A portion of the old city wall.

We walked up to a view point below the ruins of the Alcazaba (fortified palace) with a great view to windmills on a far ridge and the Ebro River below.

And a view back to town: Catedral de Santa María (center).

Good view of the old mill, railroad tracks and the Rio Ebro.

View down to the old mill and local vegetable gardens.

The old mill is now a museum.

And finally a few shots of El Teatro Gaztambide (1936)