Under the Catholic Kings, Fernando and Isabel, the kingdoms of Aragon
and Castilla joined, this was a period of great splendor and dynamics.
Later on, the expulsion of the Jews, (S.XV) and of the Moorish (S. XVII)
established a backing on the City evolution.
Felipe II cancelled the municipal privileges and abolished those still
existing after Felipe V and the succession war.
During the Independence war, the city sustained two sieges against
France, the first one lasted two months and was cleared after the French
were defeated at Bailen (June-August 1808), the second one, started in
the same year on December and ended on February 1809 when the city
surrendered.
The
awakening of Zaragoza in the XIX century was based on its privileged situation on the railroad
network and to the introduction of new cultivations thanks to the
Aragon
Imperial Canal.
Some pieces of the old Caesaragusta roman wall are left as well as the
amphitheater. From the Arab period the famous palace of
Aljafería still remains.
One
of the most important buildings of the city is the Cathedral del
Salvador, the Seo; built on 1119, of romanic style, partially demolished
on 1316 and rebuilt on gothic style with 3 new naves and chapels. Even
more famous is the Basilica of Nuestra Senora del Pilar (XVII) with
original paintings of Goya and a magnificent retable of Demian Forment.
Other monuments of interest are the antique church of
Santa Engracia with a
renaissance portico made by Los Morlanes , La Lonja is a building of
transition that goes from the gothic to the renaissance style (1541) and
the San Pablo’s church (1259).
Zaragoza is home of the University, the Music Conservatory, the
General
Military Academy and the
Arzobishop. It has several museums with important archeology and art
collections.
From May 26 to 29, 2006, Zaragoza will
be the venue of the XXIII Inter-American Radiology Congress and of the
XXVII Congress of the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology.
