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Tierra Estella

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#MAEZTUTHE JOURNEY

ESTELLA: A VILLAGE WELL WORTH VISITING

 Estella needs more than one day. Perhaps if you are a pilgrim on the Way to Saint James, you will arrive there tired after walking for hours. You would be astonished by the view of the landscape and the fantastic streets at the old town, the palaces, and the stunning church of San Pedro de la Rua with its magnificent scales. Some years ago, the team of Patrimonio para Jóvenes visited this church, the cloister and even the bell tower.

Today our visit is just in front of this church: The Gustavo de Maeztu Museum. Read all the information about this museum here.

THE REHEARSAL

Before the visit, I travelled first to meet Camino Paredes, the lady in charge of the museum and Natalia Gentico, the tour guide. Even with the photographer, Clara Frago, we had a brainstorming session in order to find a really cool way of getting in touch with the artwork.

We even prepared carefully the flyer. Here you can see Clara Frago, during, let’s say… the making of:

And here is the result of the label we delivered during some days before.

 

The visit

Natalia explained us in a very friendly way the life of Gustavo de Maeztu, his journeys, family circumstances and how they had influenced on Maeztu’s way of painting. We even had time for humor with games that keep the people engaged. As an example, we imitated the posture of some of the characters on the canvas.

Another game was to listen to the music when looking at a painting. For “Evening Party” Natalia invited us to listen and see the video on Youtube: Blur to the end. You can have a look to the painting and you can listen to the music here:

This visit to the Gustavo de Maeztu Museum is just the beginning of a story: we are working on a video with the idea #Maeztuthejourney . A trip of imagination and engagement not only with the paintings but with the characters, its history and even the landscape.

We finished the morning, with the typical Spanish “tapas” and with a friendly chat.

If you come to Estella, in Navarra, don’t forget to visit this museum.

See you, keep in touch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dicastillo

sello-mec-v2-smDicastillo is a village located at the region of Navarra, not very well known but is well worth visiting. When arriving you can discover a stunning palace from the last years of the 19th century an the begining of the 20th. Its history and that of its owner the “condesa de la Vega del Pozo” has been studied by Blanca Sagasti. Her research is now in an interesting book : “ De la Casa familiar de los López de Dicastillo al Palacio de la Condesa de la Vega del Pozo “

Disc todos en la puerta

As a result of reading this book I kept in touch with Blanca . Then we visited the palace, today empty ( or almost) waiting for a new use. Nothing better tha reading the report by Reagan Hahn :

I knew we would experience something incredible from the minute the man pulled out a key to unlock the heavy gates. As they opened with a creak, the palacio stood before us in all of its architectural splendor. Beyond the building, tiny roses formed a blanket over the garden pagoda.

Dicastillo en el cenador

     Before the excursion…

  I had no idea that a palace was a building exclusively for leisure and that, “castle,” is a term reserved for residences designed for battle. Before the excursion I couldn’t have told you what it feels like to look out the window of a tower and see the mountains and fields of Navarra fill the horizon. Before I couldn’t, now I can. From the great, wide staircases, to the ornate fireplaces, every inch of the palacio drew you in.

Dicastillo comedor al contraluz

                  Beautiful in a tragic way !

Yet, to me, all the grandeur was beautiful in a tragic way. While the rooms were full of things, they lacked people. Only we, the privileged few, got to explore this grand home while the rest of the world lay ignorant to the treasures inside. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this fantastic edifice, and I count myself blessed to have been given the opportunity to explore a piece of history. I only hope that others will come to appreciate the palacio so that once again its rooms will be filled with life.

Disc EScudo de palacio