Silver ships, a mad knight and painters who changed art. Plus the dark side.
Spain once ruled an empire so big that people said the sun never set on it. In the same years, Spanish painters and writers made some of the greatest art in Europe. This is the golden story, and the dark one behind it.
Around 1500, Spain became the centre of a huge empire. Ships brought silver from the Americas, and the kings spent it on wars, palaces and art. This time is called the Siglo de Oro, the Golden Age. El Greco came from Crete and painted long, flame-like saints in Toledo. In Madrid, Velázquez painted the royal family as real people. In Seville, Zurbarán painted quiet monks in white robes, and Murillo painted sweet Madonnas and street children. Cervantes, a poor former soldier, wrote Don Quixote. But the gold had a price. In the Americas, Indigenous people were conquered and forced to work in the mines. At home, Jews and Muslims had to convert or leave.
Pick a colour to follow one story. Every moment shows where you can still see it.
Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand order all Jews to convert or leave Spain. Many thousands leave their homes for good.
See it at: Museo SefardíHernán Cortés and his Indigenous allies take the Aztec capital. War, forced labour and new diseases kill millions in the Americas.
See it at: Museo de AméricaSilver is found at Potosí, in today's Bolivia. Indigenous workers are forced to dig it out, and the silver pays for Spain's wars.
Teresa of Ávila opens her first convent. She writes books that people still read and becomes one of Spain's most famous writers.
King Philip II starts building El Escorial: a palace, monastery and royal tomb in one huge grey building.
See it at: Monastery of El EscorialThe painter from Crete arrives in Toledo. He stays for the rest of his life.
See it at: Museo del GrecoPhilip II builds a new royal mint in Segovia. Water wheels on the river power the machines that make coins.
See it at: Real Casa de Moneda de SegoviaThe first part of Don Quixote is printed in Madrid. A thin old man reads too many knight stories and goes off on mad adventures.
See it at: Museo Casa Natal de CervantesThe king orders the Moriscos, families of Muslim origin, to leave Spain. In a few years about 300,000 people are forced out.
Velázquez paints the little princess, her maids, a dog and himself at work. Painters still argue about how it works.
See it at: Prado MuseumThe museums and places where this story comes alive.
The best place on earth for Velázquez, El Greco, Zurbarán and Murillo. Go straight to Las Meninas, then look for El Greco's long, glowing figures.
A private collection that became a national museum. Look for Zurbarán's Saint Casilda in her rich silk dress, with roses in her skirt.
A marquis's palace, still crowded with his paintings, weapons and clocks, just as he left it. Find El Greco's Saint Francis among the full walls.
One man's huge collection of paintings, jewels, swords and books. A quiet place to meet Spanish art from the Golden Age.
A museum about the painter in the city he loved. See his portraits of the apostles and his View and Plan of Toledo.
A house on the spot where, by tradition, Cervantes was born in 1547. Kitchen, bedrooms and courtyard show how a family lived in his time.
It was printed in Madrid in 1605, and it was a hit right away.
He was Greek, from Crete. 'El Greco' simply means 'the Greek'.
The mirror shows King Philip IV and Queen Mariana, as if they are standing where you stand.