Goya in Zaragoza I - Camon Aznar museum

Goya in Zaragoza I - Camon Aznar museum

Francisco de Goya (wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Goya) was born in Fuendetodos, a little village near Zaragoza.
Part of his live was in Zaragoza, where he stayed while he was teenager, young man. He was married here and stayed some time while his life.

Camon Aznar museum

It is a museum property of ibercaja bank.

It was an old 16th century palace refurbished for a museum (from my point of view, it is as intereting paintings than the whole building). There are too many paintings there from 15th century to 20th century but Goya's are the main ones.

As a curiosity, Goya not only did paintings but also etchings. This means that there can be several "original etchings" taken from the original piece. He made a lot of ones in Spain and someones more in France (Bordeaux).
Camon Aznar museum is the only one that has a copy of all etchings made in Spain. They show almost all of them but in their warehouses they have the full collection.

How can I get there?

Go to the main Tourist office located in front of the town hall (middle way Cathedral and El Pilar). Go back ahead between the buildings and... just 100 metres. It is one of those buildings that you will see from the square but the main entrance is in the opposite side. But... just 100 m ahead.

Touristic bus has a stop in Cathedral square, close to museum
Tramway near stop is in Plaza de España
Behind touristic office you have a station to take your bike if you had rented a three days pass
And, anyway, it is very near to any point from the old city. If you are there, you will reach it easily walking.

Which are timetables and prices?

Entrance is free.

If you have taken a guided tour around the city centre, you will pass in front of it, and guide will make an explanation about the building and about what you will find inside.

It is open Tuesday to Saturday 10 to 14 and 17 to 21 and Sunday 10 to 14

Think in it for a late visit in Zaragoza while the week

More information (in Spanish) at: http://obrasocial.ibercaja.es/v2_ficha_centro.php?centro=36


REMEMBER: At Patio de la Infanta, in ibercaja headquarter, you will have more Goya original paintings.

Roman Forum

Roman Forum

Zaragoza is named after Caesar Augusta and in fact that was the original name.
It is expected to have some ruins in the middle of the city. Let's talk about one of them: Roman Forum.

Where is the Roman Forum?

It is in front of current Cathedral.
This structure located in front of the tower is the entrance to the Forum. It is located under the square.
https://maps.google.es/?ll=41.655221,-0.876498&spn=0.001088,0.002642&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=41.65533,-0.876666&panoid=APbHbmZDqYft0RllPArqRQ&cbp=12,123.89,,0,-0.82

But it is not a normal situation for a Forum. Almost all Roman Forums where in the middle of a city. That point where the Cardum and Decumanum streets joined.

As you can see here (current old city centre map but with Roman ruins pointed) the forum is suggested to be in the cross between streets with number one and number two.

But it is in the number three of the map

Why?. The Ebro river makes an important role here. The Forum was created in the middle between the River Harbour and the Roman city centre. There are not too many important Roman cities where the Forum is not in the middle.

When does the Forum open?

Tuesday to saturday 10 to 14 and 17 to 21. Quite nice if you want a late monument visit.

Sunday 10 to 14

Price is about three euro and there is a pack for all Roman museums (also Theatre, Baths and Harbour)

They are included in the Zaragoza Card.

There are three days in the year when it is free.

What can I find inside the forum?

More or less absolutely the old Roman square, and you will notice where the forum limits were and where the first Roman houses besides the Forum started.

And a great deal of Roman ruins inside.

All under that square is former Roman heritage. 

Just have a look to these pictures

How can I arrive there?

It is just in the middle way between Central Touristic office and the Cathedral

Touristic bus has the main stop in front of it.

Nearest tramway stop is Plaza del Pilar-Murallas

or by bike if you have one or you have rented a three days pass

Almost all tours will cross in front of it.

No possibilities to get lost.

Patio de la Infanta

Patio de la Infanta

Can you imagine a modern age coutyard inside of a bank?
Keep reading

A bit of history

In the modern age, it was very usual in Zaragoza to have snob medium palaces with a typical coutyard in the middle.

One of them, before the building was demolished, was sold to a French Antique dealer who kept it for a lot of years in Paris.

In the middle 20th century it was bought by a bank. Ibercaja. In fact, it is the mainest bank with headquarter in Zaragoza. The main building is in the absolutely city centre.

When they desgined the building they got in contact with that antique dealer and... bought the coutyard. It wasn't still re-built, just kept in a warehouse... and they bring back to Zaragoza by smuggling (it was heritage and should have to pass custom control... but they took stone by stone. Nobody knew that all stones had an unique number and were part of an old coutyard).

And today you can see it inside the bank and with several original paintings inside. Some of them are by Francisco de Goya.



This is the bank, looking from outside:

and... entering in that bank, you will find a lot of bureaus and offices but also this corner:

There are too many pictures in the internet. Just google "patio de la infanta zaragoza" and have a look... but do not forget to visit it in your next visit to Zaragoza.

Where can I find it?

Quite, quite easye. In Plaza Paraiso. I think it would be impossible to stay in Zaragoza and not having a look to this building.

Looking from outside it is just another bank headquarter more.
Looking inside... they have a stunning corner!!!

When can I visit it?

Look at here for more information
http://obrasocial.ibercaja.es/v2_ficha_centro.php?centro=4

but currently:

Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 13:30 and 18:00 to 21:00
Saturday, 11:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 21:00
Sunday, 11:00 to 14:00

Be aware that they have two entrances. One of them from outside and the other one from the own building.
If you are going to visit it monday to friday in the morning, you will have to enter inside the bank and ask for it.
If you are going to visit it in the evenings or weekends, you will have to enter from outside the bank (San Ignacio de Loyola street).

Are you in Zaragoza because business and no time for visits?. No problem, it closes at 21:00 monday to saturday!!!

Visit is free. Nevertheless, there are guided visits with the cost that appears in that page.


Get noticed that they open on mondays. There are not many monuments that open on mondays and you can use this day for this monument.

How can I get there?

By tramway (Pza. Aragon stop), Touristic bus (P. Pamplona 14 is the nearest) and almost any other bus lines.

Or just walking...

UPDATED

This was the old courtyard in the original location:

and ruins after demolishing

YES, you can visit this courtyard inside a central office of a bank!!!!


The same bank has a beautiful museum located in an old courtyard and with a lot of Goya paintings. It is in the city centre and free: Camon Aznar museum