History and characters, Plasencia
Historia y personajes, Plasencia
The city of Plasencia, also called "gateway to kingdoms", is located in the north of the province of Cáceres in the autonomous community of Extremadura in Spain. The cradle of many stories was at one time an important division between kingdoms in the peninsula, on the one hand the Christian kingdoms of the north and on the other the lands that were under the domination of the Muslim world. Robust military constructions, walls that surrounded the city making it a difficult and complicated point to attack and strategically located to defend it. The number of architectural elements from this period surprises the passer-by and it is a very clear example of how these two worlds were found in this precise geographical point.
The most important representation of this city is the equestrian statue of the King of Castile, Alfonso VIII. Located in the center of the city, in one of its main entrance gates to the walled area of the city. Dance on a fountain of water tubes that contrast with the strength of this exceptional bronze sculpture. The passage of time has left its mark on the oxidation of the metal, but the details of this sculpture continue to be of unparalleled sharpness and plastic beauty.
La ciudad de Plasencia llamada también, “puerta de reinos”, está situada al norte de la provincia de Cáceres en la comunidad autónoma de Extremadura en España. Cuna de muchas historias fue en un tiempo división importante entre reinos en la península, por un lado los reinos cristianos del norte y por el otro las tierras que estaban bajo el dominio del mundo musulmán. Robustas construcciones militares, murallas que rodeaban la ciudad convirtiéndola en un punto difícil y complicado para atacarla y estratégicamente situada para defenderla. Sorprende al paseante la cantidad de elementos arquitectónicos de esta época y es un ejemplo muy claro de cómo eses dos mundos estaba encontrados en este preciso punto geográfico.
La representación más importante de esta ciudad es la estatua ecuestre del rey de castilla Alfonso VIII. Situada en el centro de la ciudad, en una de sus principales puertas de entrada al recinto amurallado de la misma. Baila sobre una fuente de tubos de agua que contrastan con la fuerza de esta excepcional escultura de bronce. El paso del tiempo ha dejado huella en la oxidación del metal pero los detalles de esta escultura siguen siendo de una nitidez y belleza plástica sin igual.
When one arrives at his side the figure rises suggesting power, strength and a noble trait of the emperors and kings of those times. Perched on a mound of stone, the statue, whichever way you look at it, is impressive. I have tried to take a series of images from different angles, also taking advantage of the entrance of a storm to give it a more drastic, threatening, powerful character. The sun itself filtering through the clouds served me as an ally for this purpose of being able to take these photographs loaded with plastic and contrast.
Image ©oscarps. All Rights Reserved.
Original content by @oscarps
