Columbus Day in Segovia?

My partner and I will be in Segovia on Columbus Day (October 12). As Segovia is the city from which Columbus departed Spain and in which he had his final audience with Ferdinand and Isabel before setting sail, I would think Columbus Day would be a "big deal" in Segovia (as it is elsewhere in Spain). Any reports / recommendations?

Really?

Well, I did not know that at that time the court was there ( you know, these were war times, and it moved with the kings.

Anyway, I suppose you say it in a general sense, since Segovia is very far from the sea.

In Spain, I can not remember of any city where COlumbus day is celebrated, but may be there is any. But it is not a national celebration day.

October 12, is more important because it's the day of the Virgen del Pilar, and it's the mayor fiesta of Zaragoza (I recomend them). It's also the fiesta of my neighbourhood (Barrio del Pilar).
I think in Segovia there isn't any special thing and also I think there isn't any celebration about Colon but it is also the day of the hispanidad and there will be some militar marches and things like that...

I also will be in Spain on October 12 this year. I will be in Madrid. Will there be festivities/parades and any closures of museums/shops on this day?

Columbus' port of departure on his first voyage of discovery was Palos de la frontera (Huelva). On his return (on the Niña), his landfall was Baiona (Pontevedra - Galicia). After a brief stop there, he continued down the coast back to near his departure point. I had never heard of Segovia in conjunction with Cristobal Colón.

October 12th is also celebrated as el día de la hispanidad.

Yeah, there seems to be some mystery/confusion about Segovia and Cristobal Colón/Christopher Columbus. I think most of it stems from the movie 1492: Conquest of Paradise where Frenchman (WHAT!?!?!) Gérard Depardieu plays Colón/Columbus and meets Isabella (Sigourney Weaver) and Fernando in the Alcazar in Gegovia.

From what I've been told (I think it was LONG ago in the "Favorite Places" or "About Spain" forum), Colón/Columbus never met the Queen and King there, but rather in another palace in the country (Eddie, was that you who told of this? I'm too lazy to do a SEARCH right now... )

No, Madridman, it wasn't me; but here's some Columbus trivia: His landfall was at the mouth of the Ria de Vigo, where the Castle of the Conde de Gondomar is now a Parador Naciónal. The people in that area say that the Conde de Gondomar was a cousin to Colón, that Colón himself might have been claimant to that title, and that, excellent navigator that he was, he must have stopped there on purpose to offload some of the treasures he had brought back from the New World.

Maybe that's why I like Pontevedra so much, besides the seafood and wines, I mean. You stay in an area long enough to get to know the people and they 'open up' to you with 'private' stories like that.

Another is about the German U-Boats that hid under the mejilloneras (mussel-cultivating frames) in the ria during the day and came out at night to attack allied shipping. It's not difficult to see how they could have done that.

[ 08-22-2001: Message edited by: Eddie ]

I think everyone has heard too many stories. I do know that he did land in Baiona. If I had known enough Spanish, I would have paid more attention eight years ago when I was there and read the monument to Columbus that is in the city. I also heard rumors that the Nina (the ship) was made in Baiona.

By the way, Baiona is by far my favorite small town out of the way place in Spain. The Parador is a wonderful place to stay and the ocean views are superb.

Oh, Columbus.

Columbus is buried under the Cathedral in Sevilla. He is also buried in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Yes, buried in both the old and new world. The Columbus statue on the monument in Barcelona is pointing out to the sea, but he is pointing eastward (I guess that's where Columbus wanted to go, but he traveled west to get there) He has a magnificent view. The Columbus statue in Columbus Circle, Manhattan looks out to buildings and faces away from Central Park. He is much shorter than the Columbus in Barcelona and he is not pointing.

Re.Caminante: Ed ,you as a NYer must realize that the C.Columbus in NYCs C.Circle started out larger than Barcelona's but the stress & anxiety of living in NY has shrunk him in stature.Upper West Side living has done this to the best of em.Good to see you back on the board. Ski

I remember being in Segovia in 1989 when they were filming "1492". Tours to the castle were limited, and the locals were gaga for the exposure. You've never seen so much local buzz.

Remember that one of the reasons they filmed in the Alcázar in Segovia is because it is so "Spanish" (it's also used for a backdrop in the older film "Camelot"). It's very well restored and just looks "typical" and like a fantasy castle. Of course another reason is its historical significance as the place of residence of Isabel la Católica.

BTW: In addition to being buried in the DR and Sevilla, according to which "historian" you ask, Columbus is also buried in Valladolid; Columbus, Ohio (down the street from MadridMan) and underneath the fountain in la Plaza de Colón in Madrid.