History

I have found that one of the things that I enjoyed the most about Spain was how full of history it is. Every city we visited had some part of it, some story to tell, that went all the way back hundreds of years. No matter where we went was the feeling of a nation deeply rooted in all the things that happened before them, because it shapes who they are as a culture today. The period of time that had most obviously affected them was the reign of Franco during the middle of the twentieth century. France was a dictator that controlled the lives of Spaniards in all aspects. Franco changed the way they ate, dressed, celebrated, etc.; he made up their minds for them. After he died, Spaniards were able to live again which contributes a lot to their outlook on life and how they are happy enough to just be.History also plays a big part of their lives in the form of paintings. Artists like Picasso, Goya and Velazquez all originated from Spain and have had a serious impact in Spanish culture. Not only are their countless, famous art museums throughout Spain, but the style of each different artist are represented in other forms like parks and buildings. A specific example of this is the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona designed by Gaudi. This church was given such intricate designs that it after many years of building it has yet to be complete. It is things like the work of Gaudi and his fellow artist that Spaniards pride themselves in and boast about wherever you go.