Spain

From Madrid to Barcelona to Valencia, this collection of photos showcases the Spanish people, culture, and country.

Spain is in southwestern Europe, sharing the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal. It was a dominant global power during the 16th and 17th centuries, leading explorations and establishing a vast colonial empire in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

The Reconquista, the centuries-long struggle to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule, started in 711 and ended in 1492 with the conquest of Granada. That same year, Christopher Columbus, under the auspices of the Spanish crown, embarked on his voyage that led to the European discovery of the Americas.

Spain's history also includes the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), which resulted in the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, which lasted until his death in 1975, after which Spain transitioned to a democratic government.