ANTEQUERA

Narrator
When the Romans occupied Spain, the city of Antequera was very important as it was located at a crossroads. The locals are always digging up remains of a splendid past from the soil. In its collection, Antequera's museum boasts a world-famous statue, the Ephebe. The museum director, Manuel Cascales, is very proud of the statue, the jewel of Antequera.

Inka Martí
Manuel, where was Antequera's Ephebe found?

Manuel
It was found completely by accident, some years ago now, on a farm when the owners were working the land.

Inka Martí
It seems to be quite often the case in this museum that pieces are found in the fields by chance, isn't it?

Manuel
Not important pieces, but less important pieces like a coin or a piece of marble or some Roman remain are often found in the city, mainly in the outskirts. It must be now 4 or 5km from the original location of a Roman city once known as Sincilia Barba. It would appear that they used to carry lighting devices, huge lamps that were used to light up night parties. That must have given amazing plastic effects in the dark of the night.

Inka Martí
Splendid.

Manuel
Yes, it must have been, yes indeed!

Narrator
When the Catholic Kings managed to overcome the last Moorish monarchs of the peninsula, they founded numerous convents and churches. Victoria García took Inka Martí to the most impressive church in Antequera, the Iglesia del Carmen.

Inka Martí
This is one of the chapels we were speaking of, isn't it?

Victoria
This chapel, among many others, was funded by the big families, they financed them with their own money to ensure they had a suitable resting place after they died. This particular chapel is smaller because it would have been a lower-ranking family - there are other chapels that are much larger and form a small church in their own right.

Inka Martí
And then we get this kind of thing, this amazingly complex painting, which is known as one of the finest in Andalusia.

Victoria
Yes, one of the finest, one of the finest pieces of work, and although it was never completed, it is one of the most beautiful to look upon. It is a theatrical rendition of the heavens. A stage setting of the heavens: we have the Virgin's side-chapel, she's the patron saint of the convent there was here in those days, and all around we have angels, saints, apostles, all playing their parts in this little patch of heaven.

Inka Martí
All the actors. And another thing is that the wood is unpainted.

Victoria
The families paid for each chapel to be done, and here they must have run out of money before all the surface of the wood had been painted.

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Narrator
Not every marvel in Antequera is man-made. Here in Torcal, nature has sculpted strange and marvelous shapes.

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There are now many natural parks in Spain that ensure the country's natural treasures are conserved and protected.

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