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30-514: From the second half of the 19th century, the Spanish royal family started spending their summers in Comillas, and so did a large part of the Spanish nobility , whose many descendants still frequent the town every summer. As a result, Comillas left an imprint of architectural relics such as palaces and monuments designed by renowned Catalan artists in particular, i.e. Gaudí or Doménech i Montaner . From

60-602: A complex for Catholic Missions in Tangier. The project was never realized but was a source of inspiration for Gaudí's lifelong endeavor the Sagrada Família . Claudio Lopez Bru was the fourth son of Antonio López y López —the founder and owner of Compañía Transatlántica Española and Compañía General de Tabacos de Filipinas — and Catalan lady Lluïsa Bru i Lassús. He studied law at Barcelona University ( Universitat de Barcelona ). In 1883, following his father's death, he inherited

90-523: A reputation as strike breakers." Claudio was an opponent of the Sindicatos Libres of Pedro Gerard, a Dominican who was convinced that workers must receive adequate wages, as of right, not merely subsistence wages. His Free Syndicates opposed the general strike of 1917 along with their confessional counterparts but the extreme conservatism of Claudio still found Gerard uncongenial and, : "one whose ideas if put into practice would cost capitalists like

120-629: A role the Spanish constitution recognizes and codified in Title II Article 62 (j). It is incumbent for the monarch "to exercise the High Patronage of the Royal Academies". Royal patronage conveys a sense of official credibility as the organization is scrutinized for suitability. A royal presence often greatly raises the profile of the organization and attracts media publicity and public interest that

150-665: A writer on the Spanish Catholic world, Frances Lannon , 'to keep his employees pious and out of radical unions.' He was a dominating influence in the National Council of Catholic Worker Corporations CNCCO, a kind of industrial branch of Catholic Action . A reactionary he was criticized by the Asturian priest Maximiliano Arboleya Martínez who commented that : " The workers in our Circles are talked to about religion, about morality, about resignation, about their obligations - it

180-526: Is Don Juan Alfonso Güell y Martos. Spanish royal family King Juan Carlos I Queen Sofía Children of the late Duchess of Badajoz : The Duchess of Soria and Hernani The Duke of Soria and Hernani The Dowager Duchess of Calabria The Spanish royal family constitutes the Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon ( Spanish : Casa de Borbón ), also known as the House of Bourbon-Anjou ( Spanish : Casa de Borbón-Anjou ). The royal family

210-802: Is almost never that anyone talks to them about the injustices, about the obligations of the capitalists". Claudio was a dominant figure in determining Catholic policy on labour relations. A workers section of Catholic Action was set up under his influence in 1894, followed in 1919 by a women's, and in 1924 by a youth section. They were firmly under hierarchical and magnate control, 'associations of leaders with few followers.' The most characteristic efflorescences of Catholic Action at this time were words and gestures rather than purposeful organisations, - congresses and processions rather than flourishing workers' associations. Claudio financed spectacular pilgrimages for working men to shrines in Spain and abroad. And, impressed by

240-626: Is headed by King Felipe VI and currently consists of the King; Queen Letizia ; their children, Leonor, Princess of Asturias , and Infanta Sofía ; and Felipe's parents, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía . The royal family lives at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid , although their official residence is the Royal Palace of Madrid . The membership of the royal family is defined by royal decree and consists of:

270-414: The 1908 Messina earthquake that devastated this Italian town, causing tens of thousands of deaths. Claudio had his ship, the "Cataluña", one of his CTE vessels, transformed into a hospital and sent it rushing to the place. A process of beatification began in 1945. His cause was formally opened on 22 December 1947, granting him the title of Servant of God . A Catholic, he was determined, according to

300-1071: The Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations for the 2nd World Assembly on Ageing, and is a member of the Dali Foundation Board of Trustees, president of the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing , and Director of Social Welfare at the La Caixa Foundation in Barcelona where she lives with her family. King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia, and Infanta Cristina are all members of the Bilderberg Group , an informal think-tank centered on United States and European relations, and other world issues. Claudio L%C3%B3pez Bru Claudio López y Bru, 2nd Marquess of Comillas , GE (1853 in Barcelona – 1925 in Madrid ),

330-657: The Catholic Railwayman's syndicate, led by Agustin Ruiz, and its performance in opposing the railway strike of July 1916 and the general strike of August 1917, tried hard to create an accompanying web of Catholic miners syndicates, especially in the militant Asturian pits, where he himself owned pits. Claudio was also influential in the Popular Social Action (ASP) initiative, founded by a Jesuit priest, Gabriel Palau , in 1907 in Barcelona . Palau wanted to make Barcelona

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360-703: The King of Spain, the monarch's spouse, the monarch's parents, his children, and the heir to the Spanish throne. The titles and styles of the Royal Family are as follows: * - Member of the Royal Family (as opposed to the Family of the King, or extended family) ** - Member of the Extended royal family Members of the Spanish Royal Family are often asked by non-profit charitable , cultural , or religious organizations within and outside Spain to become their patrons ,

390-459: The Middle Ages. During the second half of the 19th century, the first Marquess Antonio López y López invited King Alfonso XII to his mansion at Comillas and the town became popular with the aristocracy; the architect Joan Martorell built the enormous Palacio de Sobrellano on the instructions of the marquess. Comillas is situated close to the coast in the autonomous community of Cantabria . To

420-661: The Pantheon, and El Capricho , a fantastic creation by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí . The first Marquess of Comillas was Antonio López y López (died 1883). Founder and owner of the Compañía Transatlántica Española , he was born in Comillas in 1817 and made his money in Cuba in shipping and slaves. He bought the title in 1878. The second Marquess of Comillas was his son Claudio López Bru . The current Marquess of Comillas

450-585: The Spanish branch of the Association of European Journalists , which is composed of achieving communications professionals. King Felipe VI also serves as honorary chair of the Ministry of Culture National Awards Ceremonies. Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo , Juan Carlos' elder daughter, is the Director of Cultural and Social Projects of Mapfre Foundation, while Infanta Cristina , Juan Carlos' younger daughter, served as

480-445: The animals they hunted. Magdalenian and Bronze Age artefacts have been found in nearby Ruiseñada, and there was an ancient mine at La Molina in which utensils and Roman coins have been found as well as an altar dedicated to the god Jupiter . Arrowheads have also been found here. On the border between Comillas and Ruiloba, heaps of shells have been found showing that the ancient people, besides hunting, specialised in collecting food from

510-399: The annual Princess of Asturias Awards ( Premios Princesa de Asturias ), which aims to promote "scientific, cultural and humanistic values that form part of mankind's universal heritage." The Princess of Asturias Foundation ( Fundación Princesa de Asturias ) holds the annual Princess of Asturias Awards acknowledging the contributions of individuals, entities, and/or organizations from around

540-582: The centre of a national network of social Catholic initiatives. It attracted bourgeois Catholics, and its financial needs were largely met by the Marquess of Comillas. The syndicates that became associated with the ASP were called Professional Unions. "A recent study has emphasised their paternalism - at the most generous calculation they never accounted for more than 2% of the Barcelona manual work-force. They soon established

570-656: The conclusion of the Valles Lawsuit against the Duke of Infantado in 1581, Comillas became part of the Province of Nine Valleys, a judicial and administrative body. Historically, the town was one of four towns making up the Alfoz of Lloredo. The town is sometimes known as the "Town of the Bishops", because five priests who were born here went on to become bishops in several different dioceses during

600-407: The death toll reached 500. As soon as he got the news, Claudio went to the spot and sent a train from Barcelona with doctors, nurses, firemen and medical equipment in order to treat the thousands of wounded. After this action, Claudio consistently refused any attempt by the authorities to honor and reward him, stating simply that he had done merely his duty as a Christian. He acted similarly after

630-557: The north lies the Bay of Biscay and to the south the Cantabrian Mountains which run parallel with the coast, the highest point of which is the Torre de Cerredo , 2,648 metres (8,688 ft). Santander lies fifty kilometres to the east. There is a sandy beach and headlands and the town is set a little way back from the sea. The Plaza del Corro de Campios, in the centre of the oldest part of

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660-536: The organization may not have otherwise garnered, aiding in the charitable cause or cultural event. Royalty make use of their considerable celebrity to assist the organization to raise funds or to promote government policy. Additionally, members of the royal family may also pursue their own charitable and cultural interests. Queen Sofía devotes much of her time to the Queen Sofia Foundation ( Fundación Reina Sofía ); while Leonor, Princess of Asturias presents

690-401: The sea. The remains of the medieval castle of Peña del Castillo are still visible and another castle later occupied the same strategic site. The earliest documents relating to the town date to the eleventh century, although most of them were destroyed later in a fire at the town hall. Garcilaso de la Vega built a tower on the coast to demonstrate the town's dominance in maritime affairs. After

720-428: The second half of the 20th century however, southern Spain and the islands became more popular due to an increasing inclination towards sunnier destinations, and so places like Marbella , Sotogrande or Mallorca became attractive prospects for the rich and famous. Although the town has seen an upsurge in the last years, it still maintains its character as "the haven for the decadent and discreet aristocracy". Comillas

750-559: The title "Marquess of Comillas ". Barely in his thirties, he ran all the companies his father had started, foremost of which were Compañia General de Tabacos de Filipinas and Ferrocarriles del Norte . In the following years, Claudio himself would expand his father's estate, with coal company Hullera Española , Banca López Bru, Constructora Naval and Banco Vitalicio. He promoted the Pontifical Seminary of Comillas ( Cantabria ) that had been financed by his father. The first building

780-541: The town, is surrounded by ancestral mansions with shields on the walls depicting the noble families who lived there. The town hall and the seventeenth century parish church of San Cristóbal are nearby, and there are some interesting mausoleums in the cemetery . The Neo-Gothic university buildings overlook the town. The Art Nouveau buildings are some of the finest in Cantabria and include the Sobrellano Palace Chapel,

810-571: The world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, or public affairs. King Felipe VI serves as president of the Organization of Ibero-American States which hosts the annual Ibero-American Summit , serves as president of the Codespa Foundation, which finances specific economic and social development activities in Latin American and other countries, and serves as president of

840-458: Was a Spanish peer, businessman, and immensely rich shipping magnate and landowner. He inherited the companies his father Antonio López y López had founded. For thirty years, from 1895 to 1925, the Marquess of Comillas dominated Catholic policy-making on labour relations. Comillas sponsored Antoni Gaudí 's trip to Tangier and Tétouan in 1892, where the architect was inspired by Franciscan José María Lerchundi  [ es ] to design

870-571: Was inaugurated in 1890 and through a decree of the Vatican , it became the Pontifical University of Comillas In 1893 vessel Cabo Machichaco , a ship not belonging to Claudio's CTE shipping line, exploded at the harbor in Santander . The explosion was of such magnitude that a thick mooring cable from the ship hit Peñacastillo , 8 km away, killing a person. Santander harbor was destroyed and

900-508: Was the capital of Spain for one day, on 6 August 1881, following an agreement between king Alfonso XII and the Minister's Council to gather at a formal meeting in town. It also became the first place in Spain to use Edison's electric light bulbs, in 1880. Comillas was first inhabited in prehistoric times when the caverns that are plentiful in the area were used as shelters. The Neolithic inhabitants left behind them rock paintings that depicted

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