Custom dating 1920s
06-Mar-2020 15:03
Such general geographic distinctions as north/ south, coastal/interior, mountain/lowland/plateau, and Mediterranean/Atlantic are overwhelmed by the variety of local geographies that exist within all of the larger natural and historical regions.
Great local diversity flourishes on Spanish terrain and is part of Spain's essence.
Cataluña has had greater autonomy in the past and had, at different times, as close ties with southwestern France as with Spain.
The Catalan language, like Spanish, is a Romance language, lacking the mysterious distinction that Basque has.
A recognition of difference among Spaniards is woven into the very fabric of Spanish identity; most Spaniards begin any discussion of their country with a recitation of Spain's diversity, and this is generally a matter of pride.The Balearic Islands lie in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic, off the coast of Africa.Spain also holds two cities, Ceuta and Melilla, on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco.The motive of this move was Madrid's centrality: it lies at Spain's geographic center and thus embodies the central power of the Crown and gives the court geographic centrality in relation to its realm as a whole.
At the plaza known as Puerta del Sol in the heart of Madrid stand not only Madrid's legendary symbol—a sculpted bear under a strawberry tree ( madroño )—but also a signpost pointing in all directions to various of Spain's provincial capitals, a further statement of Madrid's centrality.Even though many other measures of difference can be questioned, Basque separatism, where it is endorsed, is fueled by the experience of political repression in the twentieth century in particular.