Penélope Cruz is a well-known Spanish actress who has been immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame since 2011. She has also been nominated several times for an Oscar and even won it in 2009 for best female supporting actress in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Penélope Cruz left high school to pursue a dance career. At the National Conservatory in Madrid, she studied classical ballet, among other subjects. Penélope also attended theater in New York at the Christina Rota school.

Penélope Cruz's first films were in Spanish. The film Belle Epoque was voted best non-English language film, winning an Oscar. An English version of the Spanish film Abre los Ojos was also made called Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise, in which Penélope played the same character twice. Penélope Cruz has been acting in Spanish and English films since 1992. She was also the first Spanish actress to be nominated for an Academic Award for Best Actress! For years, Penélope Cruz has also been modeling for the French cosmetics brand L'Oréal Paris and for shampoo. Every year she earns $2 million from this. She has also designed for Mango and modeled for Ralph Lauren. Outside of acting, Cruz is also active in fashion. She tops with other famous actresses for sexiest woman and Cruz is the face of many fashion brands.

Private life of Penélope Cruz

Penélope was engaged to Tom Cruise for a long time after the movie Vanilla Sky. It just never came to a wedding of the two. She also spent a year with actor Matthew McConaughey. In 2010, Penélope Cruz secretly married Javier Bardem (Spanish actor). Together they have a son named Leonardo who came into the world in Los Angeles on Jan. 22, 2011. Penélope is a close friend of Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar. They know each other from the many films in which Penélope has played for Pedro. Pedro also calls Penélope his muse.

Volunteering

Cruz also donates her time and money to charities. She has volunteered in Uganda and India, where she spent a week working for Mother Teresa in a clinic. This trip opened Cruz's eyes and after this she started a charity for homeless girls in India. Cruz donated her salary from her first Hollywood film entirely to Mother Teresa. In early 2000, Penélope also traveled nar Nepal to photograph Tibetan children for an exhibition by the Dalai Lama. This made a big impression on her and she commented, "These children break my heart. I have to restrain myself not to cry. Not entirely out of pity but also to see how hard life can be and how difficult it is to make the right choices."

Penélope Cruz fought her way to the top as a little girl and is now a globally recognized actress. In the future there will be many films in which this Spanish actress plays. Furthermore, we can always admire Penélope in advertisements of cosmetics brands and fashion brands. She is a beautiful woman who has come a long way. I hope she will only become more successful!

Equestrian also called Equestrian is a well-known phenomenon in Andalusia, southern Spain. The art of horseback riding with real Andalusian Spanish horses. These Spanish horses are also called the Andalusian and Pura Raza Española (PRE). This Andalusian is often used in shows and other spectacles because of its appearance.

The history of the Pura Raza Española is often debated. In fact, many misunderstandings have been brought into the world. First of all, the biggest misunderstanding is that this Spanish horse would have blood from the Arabian horse. There is no Arabian blood in the PRE at all. The second major misunderstanding is that the breed would have been purified and bred in a Carthusian (monastery for hermits) in the ^15th century.

The Andalusian is recognized by its long, silver-white and especially silky mane and low tail. This pure and noble breed is only surpassed, in terms of pure bloodline, by the Arabian. These Spanish horses are usually in the gray color and become whiter as they age.

The character of the elegant Andalusian horses can be described as courageous, spirited and above all very docile. Because of this, the stallions are also usually not castrated for their gentle nature. These Spanish horses trust their rider, an excellent partner in wartime. The Andalusian proves itself even today at bullfights. They are proud, honest and, above all, intelligent partners of man. An animal that learns quickly and almost never shows misbehavior.

Because the Spanish horse is so easy to handle, these horses are used all over the world for shows as well as for circus, liberty dressage and also for regular riding schools. At Spanish riding schools, the elegance of the Andalusian comes out well because of their courage and agility.

Three more different riding arts are practiced in Spain. These three are: "Doma Clásica," "Alta Escuela" and "Doma Vaquera." This art and culture come together in all these riding arts through the Pura Raza Española. In Andalusia there are many of these shows where all these riding styles are reflected.

Doma Clásica

Doma Clásica is a classical riding style from the Renaissance. This style of riding with the Pura Raza Española was practiced mainly by the nobility. The Doma Clásica is an ancient art widely used at dressage competitions around the world.

Alta Escuela

Alta Escuela, also called the Old School. The style of horseback riding was especially widely used in the military. The purpose of the Alta Escuela is to impress and create space for other men. This Spanish pass is also often seen at shows. At shows, you also see mostly old and classical exercises.

Doma Vaquera

The Doma Vaquera riding style may be called the national riding style of Spain. Doma Vaquera literally means the "training of the herdsman." The herdsman (the vaquero) still rides his horse over the land to watch his cattle. The herdsman usually only rides with one hand so he can do other actions with his other hand. Along with the Alta Escuela, Doma Vaquera is the oldest riding style in Europe.

Equestrianism is an important part of daily life in Andalusia, which is why horse shows have also become art and culture for tourists. The Andalusian horses are known all over the world, this will only increase in the future due to the character of these beautiful Spanish horses. Definitely worth attending a show when you are in Andalusia.

The life of painter Pablo Ruiz Picasso did not always go over roses, but now even after his death he is still adored for his masterpieces and his paintings are going around the world for millions of euros.

This master was born on Oct. 25, 1881, in Málaga, Spain. Because Pablo developed many talents at an early age, he was loved from that very moment. Talent for art was already in the blood, as Picasso's father, Jose Ruiz Blasco, was also an artist, but was more into still life. Both of Picasso's parents encouraged their son in his artistic ambitions. From an early age Picasso wanted to paint; he also did not go to school without brushes. In 1895, the whole family moved to Barcelona. After months of living among peasants and after many sketches, Picasso soon entered the upper classes of the "La Lonja" art school.

There are many famous paintings by Pablo Picasso that sell for a lot of money. Pablo Picasso's paintings are also best known for the way they are painted. Pablo Picasso's paintings also give a clear picture of how the painter felt during certain periods. In the early the of the 20th century, Picasso developed Cubism 1905-1915 with Georges Braque.

The Blue Period

Early in his career, Picasso experienced a blue period. During this time, he lived in Paris from1901 to 1904 and Picasso's paintings were mostly dark and somber with purple, black, green and blue. Some examples are "Desemparats" and "The Madman."

The Pink Period

After this period, Picasso's paintings became more famous and he achieved his first successes. Also after the blue period, he had a relationship with Fernande Olivier. This was reflected in his paintings, which is why we call this period the pink period. Picasso's paintings became less somber by using softer colors especially pink. Some examples from this period are the "Portrait of Señora Canals" and "Circus Artist and Boy."

Cubism

Surely the most important period of Picasso's life is the period of Cubism. Cubism is recognized by tight and hard expressions with thick layers of paint. Cubism came about as Picasso came into contact with African and Polynesian sculptures that inspired him to paint masks. Picasso, along with his friend Georges Braque, are considered the inventors of this more modern art movement. Consequently, some examples from the Cubist period include "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" and "Blanquita Suárez." "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" from 1907 is considered by art historians as the beginning of 20th century painting.

The Classical Period

When World War I broke out, most men had to join the army, including many of Picasso's friends. This left Picasso feeling isolated and lonely most of the time. This only got worse when his beloved Eva died. The result was a depressed Picasso who could no longer concentrate on his work. He was taken to Rome by Jean Cocteau in 1917 to design sets and costumes for a Russian ballet company. He eventually married one of the dancers and further immersed himself in classical art. This style of painting was more of the Renaissance. Some well-known works of this period are "The Absinthe Drinker" and "Self-Portrait."

The Surrealist Period

After the classical period came the surrealist period in which Picasso experimented with different colors, styles and shapes. An example of a Picasso painting of this period is "The Dance."

The Abstract Period

In one of last periods the abstract period or also called the Picasso style. Picasso started to work more and more abstractly. Some examples of paintings by Picasso from this period are "Abstract head" and "Abstract portrait."

Picasso's 1963 painting called Tête de femme (Jacqueline) fetched 9.2 million euros in London in 2010, its owner is unknown.

Surely Pablo Picasso's most famous painting is "Guernica." This painting by Picasso depicts a German bombing raid on the town of Guernica in 1937. The painting is 3.5 meters high and just over 7.5 meters wide. This painting by Picasso is also considered Picasso's most impressive and controversial painting. Today this painting by Picasso hangs in the "Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia" in Madrid.

Pedro Almodóvar Caballer, born Sept. 24, 1951 is Spain's best-known film director. Almodóvar arrived in Madrid in 1968 and survived by selling secondhand goods at the famous flea market "El Rastro". Almodóvar could not attend film school because he both did not have the money and the school was closed during the time of General Franco. Almodóvar found a job with a Spanish telephone company and saved money to buy a Super 8 camera. From 1972 to 1978, he lived for making short films with the help of friends. These short films were distributed throughout Spain and quickly became well-known among people. In the following years, Almodóvar became a star of "La Movida," a cultural movement against General Franco in the 1970s. In 1980 the first Almodóvar film was released this film was called "Pepi, Luci, bom y otras chicas del montón". In 1987 Pedro and his brother Agustín Almodóvar started their own production company called "El Deseo", S. A. The ´´Almodóvar phenomenon´´ had by now reached the whole world and his Spanish films became known in many countries.

His successful career began after the years of Franco (movida madrileña). In the time after Franco's death and the subsequent process of democratization, many young artists expressed themselves with work that was provocative. Almodóvar also participated in this by making films with themes such as drug use, transvestism, transsexuality, homosexuality, prostitution and also brought up abuses in the Catholic Church.

In his Spanish films, Almodóvar has a strong preference for a number of actresses. A few examples are: Carmen Maura, Chus Lampreave, Marisa Paredes, Rossy de Palma, Cecilia Roth and Penélope Cruz. Antonio Banderas also broke through through Almodóvar's Spanish films.

Below is a list of all Spanish films, also called the Almodóvar films:

• 1978 – Folle... folle... fólleme Tim!*
• 1980 – Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón*
• 1982 – Laberinto de pasiones
• 1983 – Entre tinieblas
• 1984 - ¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto?
• 1986 – Matador
• 1987 – La ley del deseo*
• 1988 – Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios*
• 1990 - ¡Átame!
• 1991 – Tacones lejanos
• 1993 – Kika*
• 1995 – La flor de mi secreto
• 1997 – Carne trémula*
• 1999 – Todo sobre mi madre*
• 2002 – Hable con ella
• 2004 – La mala educación*
• 2006 – Volver
• 2009 – Los abrazos rotos
• 2011 – La piel que habito

Below are the films that have had the greatest impact on Almodóvar and the rest of the world.

As mentioned earlier, "Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón" was Almodóvar's first feature-length film. Financed by his friends and made within 16 months. This film was such a success that Almodóvar quickly rose to prominence as a provocateur with a film that gave the feeling of cultural and sexual freedom. Because the film ran for years in independent circuits, Almodóvar was able to collect funds for his subsequent films.

"La ley del Deseo" was the first film to ever receive the "Teddy Award." The film also received the Best Film of the Year award at the Berlin International Film Festival.

In 1988, Almodóvar produced the film "Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios." A film that was very well received internationally and later nominated for an Oscar for Best Non-English Language Film. This film also won a number of Goyas (Best Film, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Screenplay and Best Editing).

"Kika" a Spanish film with extravagant clothes designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier and José Maria Cossio in collaboration with Gianni Versace. A fun fact about the film is that Pedro Almodóvar's mother has a small supporting role in it.

The only Spanish film Almodóvar has directed based on a book is "Carne trémula." It starred Javier Bardem and for the male supporting actor José Sancho received a Goya in 1998. The film is set in the 1970s, when General Franco declared a state of emergency until such time as Spain had thrown off all restrictions.

Todo sobre mi madre (All About My Mother) starring Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Candela Peña, Antonia San Juan and Penélope Cruz. In 1999, the film won an Academy Award for best foreign film and even 7 awards at the Goya´s ceremony including Best Director, Best Film and Best Female Lead.

The only film Pedro Almodóvar took about 10 years to write out is the film "La mala educación"(The Bad Education). A story inspired by memories from three important periods in the Spanish era (Franco era, end of the regime and the movida madrileña). A film about the friendship between two boys who meet at a Catholic school in the 1960s and only meet again in the 1980s. This film also presents central themes of sexual abuse, transsexuality, drug abuse and homosexuality. For this the film gained much respect in 2004 and opened the 57th edition of the Cannes Film Festival that same year as the first Spanish film. In total, the film brought in $40 million and in the United States $5.2 million, this is extraordinary for a film in a foreign language.

Spain has many different Spanish music festivals. Most music festivals in Spain are well known among Spaniards as well as most Europeans. Below are some of the best known music festivals in Spain such as the Primavera Sound, Sónar, FIB, Festimad, Rock in Rio and the WOMAD!

The Primavera Sound is a music festival, held annually in Barcelona. The Primavera Sound features many different styles of music; noise rock, indie rock, alternative rock and electronic music. The 2012 music festival will be held from May 30 to June 3 in Barcelona at the Parc del Fórum, on the seafront and next to the port.

Another well-known music festival in Spain is Sónar. This festival is also held in Barcelona. The first Sónar festival was held in 1994 and is always held in the middle of June. The music played is Electro, Techno, House and HipHop. The peculiarity of Sónar is the duration of the music festival, 3 days and 3 nights (2012 from June 13 to 17). At night and during the day the festival has several locations. Especially in the evening the locations differ, making for an unforgettable 3 days and 3 nights.

Benicassim International Festival (FIB) is a music festival for Rock, Pop and Electric music together with internationael artists. At the first edition of the Benicassim Music Festival, 8,000 young people per day attended this four-day music festival in Spain. Now after more than 15 years later, the FIB has become one of Europe´s largest and most exciting music festivals. The festival is held on the coast near the town of Benicassim between Valencia and Barcelona, about 92 kilometers from Valencia airport. In 2012, the festival will be held from July 12 to July 15.

Festimad is a two-day music festival of alternative music in Spain. Aside from the fact that a lot of alternative music is played, Festimad is also a cultural festival. Along with the FIB, macro festival and rock festival, Festimad is one of the oldest music festivals in Spain. The festival is often held in the last week of May. With more than 14 successful editions and 40,000 visitors, it is safe to say that Festimad is a true phenomenon in both Spain and Europe.

Rock in Rio in Madrid is a major music festival in Spain that is also celebrated in Brazil and Portugal. The first edition in Madrid was in 2008 and this music festival is for both international and national artists. The goal of Rock in Rio is to achieve a better world with music as a universal language of peace and harmony. This year in 2012, the Rock in Rio festival will be held June 29 and 30 and July 5,6 and 7. About a million people are expected to attend.

WOMAD or World of Music, Arts & Dance,is held all over the world but as a festival in Spain in two different places (Cáceres and in Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands). These festivals in Spain are unique because they are held in cities with UNESCO World Heritage listed buildings.

The WOMAD festival of Cáceres has been organized since 1992. This festival is different from the others because it also offers workshops and other activities. All workshops and other activities are held outdoors or in buildings of monumental value. It has undoubtedly become one of the most important cultural events of the Extremadura region and is a popular cultural and music festival in Spain. The number of visitors has increased in recent years to more than 100,000 people.

Then we also have the annual WOMAD festival in the Canary Islands in the city of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria that has been organized since 1993. The festival in Gran Canaria focuses more on African art and music. However, this does not mean that there are no other global artists or performers. Music from all over the world floats over the walls of city!

There are many international celebrities Spanish from writer to singer to architect the Formula One driver. Below-Pair A Whole known, of course, uh, of course, many more.

Film director
Pedro Almodóvar, born Sept. 24, 1951, is a very well-known film director in Spain. Pedro has won many Grammy awards with his Spanish-language films. Pedro often brought to light difficult themes in his films such as prostitution, homosexuality, drug abuse and abuses in the Catholic Church. 

Architect
Antoni Gaudí, two words, Sagrada Familia, who does not know it or has never heard of it. Gaudí is considered the founder of organic architecture. Gaudí died from a train accident near his Sagrada Familia where he was every day and followed everything closely about developments in construction. Today, work on the Sagrada Familia is still going on, and it is predicted to be finally finished in 2026.

Artist
Pablo Picasso, October 25, 1881 - April 8, 1973, was a Spanish draughtsman, painter, graphic artist , sculptor and ceramicist. He was one of the most famous Spanish painters. Picasso's best-known work was the nearly 4-meter-long painting called Guernica.

Formula 1
Fernando Alonso, born July 29, 1981, is a two-time Formula One world champion. He became the youngest ever world champion on Sept. 25, 2005! Alonso caused amazement by the high speed at which he entered his races and usually won.

Actor and actress
A famous Spanish actor is definitely Antonio Banderas with his sultry eyes. A famous Spanish actress is without a doubt Penélope Cruz.

Footballers
We can almost say that almost the entire Spanish national soccer team is well-known. Surely the most famous are Iker Casillas, Raúl, Carles Puyol, Fernando Torres, David Villa and Gerard Piqué. Famous and infamous among the Dutch.

Singers
Julio Iglesias, first soccer player and un one of Spain's best-selling Spanish singers. And father of the famous Enrique Iglesias who makes many hearts beat faster. In the opera world Plácido Domingo is a household name, he has sung with Pavoratti, among others, and he is still active today.

Writer
Surely the most famous and important Spanish writer is Miguel de Cervantes. Author of the novel "Don Quijote de la Mancha"( The ingenious nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha). The book is one of the first novels written in a modern European language. The story tells the travel adventures of an old nobleman who thinks he is a knight (Don Quixote- idealist and a foolish hero) Cervantes was also the author of about 20 plays. 

Tennis player
Rafael Nadal, born June 3, 1986, is Spain's best Spanish tennis player. Currently, Rafael is ranked No. 2 in the world according to the ATP (Novak Djokovic is No. 1). His nickname is the King of Gravel, he owes this to his many victories on this surface.

Yesterday marked the first day of the fantastic ‘The Hermitage in the Prado’, the biggest cultural project yet between Spain and Russia.

The exhibition which comprises of 120 works from the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, offers a broad display of the museum’s diverse art- spanning from artefacts created in the 4th & 5th century BC to 20th century paintings.

El Prado is the first museum outside of Russia to ever host such an exhibition, which is said to represent the pride and glory of Russia’s cultural heritage.

The exhibition is in fact the second half of a close partnership between the two museums. From February to May of this year, the Hermitage ran an exhibition showcasing some of the Spanish museum’s most celebrated works- including paintings of Goya and El Greco. The exhibition, 'The Prado in the Hermitage' was the most successful exhibition the museums has ever held, receiving more than 600,000 visitors. The partnership is part of a vast range of fascinating events and cultural exchanges that have been organised for the ‘Año Dual España-Rusia’ (see video below). Some of the events that have already taken place include cultural debates in Barcelona, Russian ballet in Madrid, art deco in Salamanca, flamenco dancing in Moscow and many more.

The Prado’s exhibition will run until the 25th March 2012, and not only is it showcasing some of Russia’s most celebrated artwork, but there will be also be some famous Spanish painters’ artwork temporarily returning home, including works by Pablo Picasso (see left), José de Ribera and Diego Velazquez.

With so much artistic diversity on display, the exhibition is set to be extremely popular, so too will the recent decision, that from the 16th January, the Prado will open every day of the week, no longer closing on Mondays, giving visitors chance to explore the depth of the Prado's extensive collection any day they wish!

The Alhambra Palace is a fortress complex located in Granada, Spain that was constructed during the mid 14th century by Moorish leaders. It is one of the most famous palaces in the world.

A team of restorers have found 80 polychromatic (composed of various colors) drawings of animal and human figures hidden under wood and plaster in the Alhambra Palace. These types of images were strictly banned from Islamic art.

It is not the first time these forbidden paintings have been discovered; in 1959 some small paintings were found behind wood pieces that covered the ceiling in the Hall of the Ambassadors of the Comares Palace, Alhambra. At the time, little importance was given to the discovery and the workers assumed they were used to guide the artisans to fit the pieces together correctly.

However, a recent discover suggests that these finds are more important than originally thought. This time in the Lindaraja Viewpoint of the Alhambra Palaces workers discovered more paintings hidden beneath plaster and wood. The 80 drawings were done by artisans who worked decorating the Moorish Palace.

The Alhambra Palace is one of the most famous palaces in the world, and like many others, it has gone through many changes and restorations. These paintings represent something truly special because, since they have been hidden for centuries, they have been preserved in their original state. They are completely authentic and have not suffered from the humidity or other damaging elements throughout the centuries.

The drawings are very diversified and appear in the original colors. Animals, vegetation and fantasy creatures are clearly represented as well as verses from the Koran which are pending translation.

The human representations may explain why the workers chose to hide the drawings. At the time, human figures in Muslim art was strictly forbidden, so these graphical representations are not often found. The Koran states that it impossible to have an image of God and also suggests that no artist can compete with the divinity of the creation of real people. These suggestions greatly impacted Islamic art, to the extent that artists avoided the portrayal of human bodies (except for private rooms) and opted for geometrical designs that are common today. The Alhambra paintings were likely done completely in secret for fear of prosecution.
Besides the rare human representation, some of the drawings were even signed, something that is very strange in Muslim art. This may mean that person responsible for the designs may have had significant importance in the decoration of the Alhambra.

There are many mysteries surrounding the new discovery that are currently being investigated. It has been determined, however, that these drawings were in fact made by the same artisans that decorated the Alhambra Palace.

Perhaps these workers wanted to take a break from their grand geometrical paintings that decorated the Alhambra, and express themselves behind closed doors.
The director of the Patrimony reemphasized that the drawings were extremely valuable since they are in their original state.

Learn more about Granada, Spain