Murcia is a university city located on the River Segura. Established in the early Middle Ages, the city is famous for its interesting architecture in which Byzantine, Arab and Western European influences mix.
After the period of Arab rule, Murcia became an important point on the commercial and cultural map of Spain. This splendor is evident in architecture. The most famous monument of the city is the cathedral of Santa Maria. Built in the Gothic style, it was decorated in the 17th century with a magnificent Baroque facade and a 90-meter high belfry in Spain. The baroque Episcopal Palace is also nearby. Among the tenement houses and palaces standing in the center of Murcia stands out the eclectic Casino, which served as a meeting place for the urban elite. Currently unused, it is open to the public.
Murcia is known throughout Spain for its colorful festivals. The most important of them is the celebration of Holy Week, when eighteenth-century figures are carried in the streets of the city in procession. In turn, at the end of the carnival, the Funeral of Sardine takes place here, which is condemned to death by the coming Lent. To commemorate this custom, a sculpture of a submerged sardine was erected in the waters of the Segura River. To remind you of the multicultural roots of Murcia, the Festival of Three Cultures takes place here in May.
