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97-489: The company was created with the double objective of promoting tourism in areas that lacked adequate accommodations, and of putting unused large historic buildings to use, for the maintenance of the national heritage. Along its history, the establishments of its network have been branded as Parador , Parador Nacional , Parador de Turismo or Parador Nacional de Turismo in different times. A Portuguese equivalent, Pousadas de Portugal , were founded on 1 May 1941, following

194-718: A Secretariat of State . During the reign of Ferdinand VI , the Treasury recovered direct power over some taxes and in 1754 it was created an independent Secretariat of State for the Treasury in charge of the finances of the Peninsular Spain (the finances over the Indies were assigned to the Secretariat of State of the Indies). With the Royal decree of 1754, a truly bureaucratic administration for

291-632: A biosphere reserve . The Sierra Nevada Observatory is located on the northern slopes at an elevation of 2,800 metres (9,200 ft). The Sierra Nevada was formed during the Alpine Orogeny , a mountain-building event that also formed the European Alps to the east and the Atlas Mountains of northern Africa across the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The Sierra as observed today formed during

388-420: A Mediterranean influenced climate is generally prevalent in its eastern and southern parts, with transition climates linking both main bioclimatic regions. Additionally the presence of several mountain ranges ultimately shape the diverse landscape of Spain . Another remarkable feature of the country is its vast coast, as a result of being in a Peninsula; moreover, there is the coast of the two Spanish archipelagos:

485-563: A basic instrument to create wealth and provide political stability to the rising bourgeoisie. With the rise to power of the moderate party took place the tax reform of 1845, due to the decided personal push of the Secretary of State and the Dispatch of the Treasury , Alejandro Mon . This tax reform meant the end of the complex tax system of the Ancien Régime through a strong simplification that for

582-572: A better organization, in 1824, during the reign of Ferdinand VII , it was created the Directorate-General for the Treasury —that still exists today—as a redistributive body of public funds and in 1834 the current Undersecretariat of Finance was created with multiple bodies depending on it. This last reform was important because it was the moment when the Councils were suppressed and the Courts of Justice

679-650: A collection of over 100,000 books, over 3,500 sound recordings and almost 1,000 videos. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is an art museum that fills the historical gaps in its counterparts' collections: in the Prado's case this includes Early Italian painting and works from the English , Dutch and German schools, while in the case of the Reina Sofia the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection, once the second largest private collection in

776-454: A collection of weapons including the sword of Pope Innocent VIII . The Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas (National Museum of Decorative Arts) is one of the oldest museums in the city. It illustrates the evolution of the called "minor arts" (furniture, ceramics and glass, textile, etc.). Its 60 rooms expones 15,000 objects, of the approximate 40,000 which it has. The Museo Nacional del Romanticismo (National Museum of Romanticism) contains

873-606: A desirable way, due to its own organizational structure and the serious situation in which the Crown's incomes were found. Many of the incomes had been leased to private individuals during the 17th century, shriveling the income of the Royal Treasury. In 1705 King Felipe V divided the unique Secretariat of the Universal Dispatch in two: one secretariat for War and Treasury and other for "everything else". In 30 November 1714,

970-621: A hotel network of ninety-seven state-owned establishments in Spain and one franchised establishment in Portugal, with 5,986 rooms in total. Paradors are located all around Spain, and have a presence in all its provinces except for the Balearic Islands , where a parador in Ibiza is under construction, and Biscay . The provinces with the most paradors are Cáceres and Málaga , with five each. In addition to

1067-420: A large collection of artefacts and art, focusing on daily life and customs of the 19th century, with special attention to the aesthetics about Romanticism. The Museo Cerralbo houses a private collection of ancient works of art, artifacts and other antiquities collected by Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa, XVII Cerralbo Marquis. The National Museum of Anthropology provides an overview of the different cultures in

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1164-524: A modern, simplified and efficient Treasury. In 1959 an Undersecretariat for the Treasury and Public Expenses was created in charge of the control of the financial resources of the State and of the preparation of the Budgets . It was the moment in which the mechanization of processes in administration is introduced, the embryo of tax informatics. Study and tax information services were strengthened during this period. As

1261-501: A replica of the Altamira cave (the first cave in which prehistoric cave paintings were discovered), Lady of Elche (an enigmatic polychrome stone bust), Lady of Baza (a famous example of Iberian sculpture), Biche of Balazote (an Iberian sculpture) and Treasure of Guarrazar (a treasure that represents the best surviving group of Early Medieval Christian votive offerings and the high point of Visigothic goldsmith's work). The Museum of

1358-534: A result of the 1959 Stabilization Plan promoted by Minister Mariano Navarro Rubio, between 1963 and 1964 the process of tax reform culminated with the approval of the General Tax Act and Tax System Reform Act. New taxes were systematized (on income and on business traffic). This implied above all a reform of the technical bodies of the Treasury in order to specialize them even more in the new tax system. The economic austerity plan of 1967 led to new reforms, simplifying

1455-545: A suitable administrative structure was adopted for the tax reform planned by Fernández Villaverde. In addition, each directorate-general was regulated by a specific regulation of its own. In 1906, with the approval of the Parcel Property Cadastre Act, promoted by Minister Moret and assisted by José Echegaray as Chairman of the Committee in charge of drafting the draft bill , progress will be made in consolidating

1552-647: A system of direct taxes. In 1911, the Treasury Administration and Accounting Act was approved, the backbone of the entire system of budgetary control and public expenditure . This administrative structure remained practically unchanged until 1957. During this period, the abolition of the Ministry of Treasury between 1923 and 1925 deserves special mention, due to the structure implemented by the Military Directorate presided over by Primo de Rivera . During

1649-420: Is a museum and art gallery that features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection . The collection currently comprises around 7,600 paintings, 1,000 sculptures, 4,800 prints and 8,200 drawings, in addition to a large number of works of art and historic documents. El Prado is one of the most visited museums in

1746-569: Is a popular tourist destination, as its high peaks make skiing possible in one of Europe's most southerly ski resorts , in an area along the Mediterranean Sea predominantly known for its warm temperatures and abundant sunshine. At its foothills is found the city of Granada and, a little further, Almería and Málaga . Parts of the range have been included in the Sierra Nevada National Park . The range has also been declared

1843-461: Is also the headquarters of the Madrid Academy of Art. Francisco Goya was once one of the academy's directors, and, its alumni include Pablo Picasso , Salvador Dalí , Antonio López García , Juan Luna , and Fernando Botero . The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of Felipe VI of Spain , but he uses it only for official acts. It is a baroque palace full of artworks and one of

1940-822: Is the Golden Triangle of Art , located along the Paseo del Prado and comprising three museums. The most famous one is the Museo del Prado , known for such highlights as Diego Velázquez 's Las Meninas and Francisco de Goya 's La maja vestida and La maja desnuda . The other two museums are the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum , established from a mixed private collection, and the Reina Sofia Museum , where Pablo Picasso 's Guernica hangs, returning to Spain from New York after more than two decades. The Museo del Prado

2037-492: Is the Spain 's national museum of 20th-century art . The museum is mainly dedicated to Spanish art. Highlights of the museum include excellent collections of Spain's greatest 20th-century masters, Pablo Picasso , Salvador Dalí , Joan Miró , Juan Gris and Julio González . Certainly the most famous masterpiece in the museum is Picasso's painting Guernica . The Reina Sofía also hosts a free-access library specializing in art, with

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2134-608: Is the concessionaire of the use and occupancy of the buildings and facilities owned by the Spanish State through the Instituto de Turismo de España (Turespaña), the government agency that, dependent on the Ministry of Industry , is the responsible of setting the company's strategy and planning, monitoring its effectiveness and building new facilities. The company's mission is to promote sustainable, accessible and quality tourism, as well as

2231-578: Is the largest by area. The Parador Castillo de Monterrei in Monterrei ( Ourense ) with 12 rooms for 24 guests, and occupying 994 square metres (10,700 sq ft) of land, is the smallest. The Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide in La Orotava ( Santa Cruz de Tenerife ), located at 2,146 metres (7,041 ft) above sea level , is the highest. The Parador Costa da Morte in Muxia (A Coruña), opened on 25 June 2020,

2328-583: Is the newest. In addition to the aforementioned Parador de Ibiza, Turespaña is building new paradors in Molina de Aragón ( Guadalajara ), Morella ( Castellón ) and Vera de Moncayo ( Zaragoza ). Paradores will furnish, operate and maintain them once completed. Ninety-seven paradors are located in Spain (listed below) and one, Parador Casa da Ínsua, in Penalva do Castelo , Portugal. A Portuguese equivalent, Pousadas de Portugal , were founded on 1 May 1941, following

2425-660: Is very attractive to both tourists and locals. Spain is known to have some of the best nightlife in the world. Big cities such as Madrid and Barcelona are favorites amongst the large and popular discothèques. For instance, Madrid is known as the number one party city for clubs such as Pacha and Kapital (seven floors), and Barcelona is famous for Opium and Sutton famous clubs. The discothèques in Spain are open until hours such as 7am. The Baleraric Islands, such as Ibiza and Mallorca , are known to be major party destinations, as well as favored summer resort and in Andalusia , Malaga , specially

2522-698: The Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands . To date, Spain has a total of 15 National Parks , of which 10 are on the mainland, 1 in the Balearic Islands and 4 in the Canary Islands. Spain's most visited National Park is the Teide National Park in the Canary Islands, with 3,142,148 visitors in 2007 and crowned with the third largest Volcano in the world from its base, the Teide , with 3,718 meters above

2619-640: The Crowns of Castile and Aragon . The Crown of Castile's main treasury body was the Supreme Finance Council created in 1523 and deeply reformed in 1658. Along with this, there was an accountant body of royal servants that existed from the very beginning of the Kingdom of Castile and the General Superintendency of Finance created in 1687. The Crown of Aragon had as its main finance institutions were

2716-782: The European funds and the public lottery . However, most of its duties are carried out by autonomous agencies like the Tax Agency and the Royal Mint . The MH is headed by the Minister of Finance, who is appointed by the King of Spain at request of the Prime Minister . The Minister is assisted by three main officials, the Secretary of State for Finance, the Secretary of State for Budgets and Expenditures and

2813-433: The Mediterranean Sea . It is the largest island in the Balearic Islands archipelago , in Spain . The capital of the island, Palma , is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Cabrera Archipelago is administratively grouped with Majorca (in the municipality of Palma). The anthem of Majorca is La Balanguera . Like the other Balearic Islands of Menorca , Ibiza , and Formentera ,

2910-1035: The Málaga Film Festival , the Seminci ( Valladolid International Film Festival), the Mostra de Valencia and the Sitges Film Festival , the world's foremost international festival specializing in fantasy and horror movies. Music festivals includes the Sónar , the FIB , the Festimad , the Primavera Sound , the Bilbao BBK Live , the Monegros Desert Festival and the SOS 4.8 Festival. Several cities have hosted international events:

3007-643: The Paleogene and Neogene Periods (66 to 1.8 million years ago) from the collision of the African and Eurasian continental plates . Spain is the second largest country in the European Union. Its latitude puts part of the country in direct contact with the typical southern end of the Atlantic polar jet . Hence, Spain's geographical position allows for Atlantic fronts typically affecting its western and northern part whereas

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3104-679: The Parador Nacional de Gredos , the first parador of the network, was inaugurated by the King on 9 October 1928 in Navarredonda de Gredos ( Ávila ). Following the successful opening, the Junta de Paradores y Hosterías del Reino was established in 1929, with the double objective of promoting tourism in areas that lacked adequate accommodations, but with conditions to attract nature or heritage tourism , and of putting unused large historic buildings to use, for

3201-626: The Second Spanish Republic , different organic reforms were also undertaken, among which the creation of the Central Economic-Administrative Court stands out. However, all this period is opaqued by the tragedy of the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939. The Civil War provokes the creation on each side of the conflicts its own treasury departments: in the republican side , the Ministry of Finance and Economy and in

3298-604: The Secretary of State of the Treasury and the Superintendency of the Treasury, they were resolved by making the holder of both were the same person: the Secretary of State. However, they were strong organs and a good proof of this was the construction in the main cities of the Kingdom of palaces destined to house their employees. This is the reason for the current existence of customs buildings in Valencia —today High Court of Justice of

3395-677: The United Kingdom , Ireland , France , Germany , Italy , the Benelux , and the United States , among others. Accordingly, Spain's foreign tourist industry has grown into the second-biggest in the world. In 2023, Spain was the second most visited country in the world, recording more than 85 million tourists which marked the seventh consecutive year of record-beating numbers. Due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, only 18.9 million tourists visited Spain. These dramatic figures are devastating for

3492-416: The 17th century, the convent attracted young widowed or spinster noblewomen. Each woman brought with her a dowry. The riches quickly piled up, and the convent became one of the richest convents in all of Europe. It has many works of Renaissance and Baroque art, including a recumbent Christ by Gaspar Becerra, a staircase whose paintings were painted by unknown author (perhaps Velázquez) and they are considered of

3589-751: The 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition, the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition , the 1992 Summer Olympics , all in Barcelona, the Universal fair of 1992 in Seville, the 2007 America's Cup in Valencia, and the Expo 2008 in Zaragoza . In addition, some Spanish cities have been or will be European Capital of Culture : Madrid in 1992; Santiago de Compostela in 2000, Salamanca in 2002, and San Sebastián in 2016. The nightlife in Spain

3686-421: The 18th century has been split into several ministries). The history of the Ministry of the Treasury dates back to 1705 when the first Bourbon King, Philip V , tried to fix the financial problems that the Habsburg dynasty had provoked. At the same time, this body was created to centralized the power of all the Monarchy . Before this, the traditional Royal Treasury was composed by several bodies, divided between

3783-478: The Americas is a national museum that holds artistic, archaeological and ethnographic collections from the whole Americas , ranging from the Paleolithic period to the present day. The permanent exhibit is divided into five major thematical areas: an awareness of the Americas, the reality of the Americas, society, religion and communication. The National Museum of Natural Sciences is the National Museum of Natural History of Spain . The research departments of

3880-412: The Empresa Nacional de Turismo (Entursa), such as luxury Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos and Hostal de San Marcos , were transferred to it. Since 18 January 1991, Paradores de Turismo de España is a State Mercantile Sociedad Anónima fully owned by the Directorate-General for State Heritage (DGPE), a state patrimonial agency dependent on the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Spain . The company

3977-422: The General Manager and the Rational Master of the Court. In both cases and during the 16th and 17th centuries there was one for each of the territories that make up the Aragonese Crown. After the War of Succession , both Crowns finally merged into the Kingdom of Spain and the finance institutions were structured according to the Castilian organization. However, the traditional Castilian model also did not work in

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4074-478: The Indies disappears. The matters of American taxation were incorporated into the Treasury and it exists from that moment and up to 1836, except in specific periods. The ministry was structured through two offices, one for the taxation in Spain and the other for the Indies. In 1793 began a continuous period of wars that did not end until 1845 and the main resource that sustained them was the public debt that did not stop growing and that had, among other consequences,

4171-415: The Minister on the directors general was reinforced and the directorates-general for Direct and Indirect Taxes, for Accounting —predecessor of the current Office of the Comptroller General of the State Administration —, for the Debt and also for the Contentious —predecessor of the current Solicitor General — were consecrated like classic organs of the Public Treasury, Besides that, Bravo Murillo also promoted

4268-525: The Ministry was de facto created as Veeduría General (roughly in English: Inspectorate-General ) and headed by the Universal Inspector of the Inspectorate-General ( Spanish : Intendente Universal de la Veeduría General ), the primitive denomination of the current position of Minister of Finance. This organization lasted a short time and disappeared in 1716. From that moment, the responsibilities of treasury merged with justice and Indies affairs. In 1 December 1720, they treasury affairs were confirmed as

4365-468: The Spanish model, by the Estado Novo at the initiative of António Ferro . The first pousada opened on 19 April 1942 in Elvas . Tourism in Spain Tourism in Spain is a major contributor to national economic life, with foreign and domestic tourism contributing to about 12.4% of Spain 's GDP (in 2019). Ever since the 1960s and 1970s, the country has been a popular destination for summer holidays, especially with large numbers of tourists from

4462-399: The Spanish model. In 1910, the Council of Ministers chaired by prime minister José Canalejas commissioned Benigno de la Vega-Inclán, marquess de la Vega-Inclán, to create a hotel structure, which did not exist at the time, in whose establishments hikers and travelers would be accommodated, while at the same time improving Spain's international image. In 1911, the Royal Tourism Commission

4559-403: The Treasury in 1849 and in 1850, designed the Treasury as a fundamental pillar of the General State Administration . In fact, under the term of Bravo Murillo, the Accounting Act of 1850 was passed. He consecrated the term «Ministry» to replace the classic one of « Secretary of State and of the Dispatch » and he organized the Department under a modern bureaucratic pattern. With him, the authority of

4656-412: The UK (around 24% of the total arrivals in Spain in recent years), Germany and France (around 15-16% each), followed by Scandinavia and Italy (around 7% each) and the Netherlands (around 5%). The most popular Spanish mainland coasts are on its Mediterranean side, and include, from north to south clockwise: Spain's two archipelagoes, the Balearic Islands off the mainland coast in the Mediterranean and

4753-405: The Under-Secretary of the Department. Since June 2018, the current Minister of the Treasury is María Jesús Montero , who previously served as Regional Minister of Finance of the region of Andalusia . The Ministry of the Treasury, along with the Foreign Ministry and the Justice Ministry , is one of the oldest ministries of Spain that currently exists (the Ministry of Defence , too, but since

4850-425: The Valencian Community—, Barcelona , Málaga (today Museum of Malaga ) and in Madrid —current headquarters of the Ministry—. All of them were architectural projects of great importance undertaken during the reigns of Ferdinand VI , Charles III and Charles IV . Since 1754, the Directorate for General Revenues was defined as the body in charge of controlling the main taxes and existing revenues. Fundamentally

4947-434: The area of the Costa del Sol . Madrid is reputed to have a "vibrant nightlife ". Ibiza is a relatively small island and its cities have become world-famous for their associations with tourism , nightlife , and the electronic music the island has originated. Ibiza has garnered the reputation as the "Party Capital of the world". It is well known for its summer club scene which attracts very large numbers of tourists, but

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5044-401: The building of the Real Casa de la Aduana . This responded to the need to centralize and group in the same place both the Secretariat and the Directorates-General for Taxes and the Treasury, which, as noted above, enjoyed a high degree of autonomy from the Ministry. If Mon was the creator of a contemporary treasury from the point of view of the technique and tax law, Bravo Murillo , head of

5141-414: The bulls in Pamplona , the Falles in Valencia, the Tomatina in Buñol , Valencia and the Fiestas del Pilar in Zaragoza . The Carnival is also popular all over Spain, but especially in the Canary Islands ( Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife ) and Cádiz . There are renowned movie festivals all over the country, the most recognizable being the famous San Sebastián International Film Festival ,

5238-433: The competences of these ministries are complementary, Between 2011 and 2016 it assumed the responsibilities of the Ministry for Public Administrations and between 2016 and 2018 it assumed the functions on the civil service . Currently, the Ministry of Finance name is widely accepted because the Public Treasury is controlled by the Economy Ministry. The Ministry of Finance is organised in the following bodies: For 2023,

5335-476: The country, including the Pyrenees , the Sistema Central , the Sistema Ibérico and Sierra Nevada . For the most part, the main crest forms a massive divider between France and Spain, with the tiny country of Andorra sandwiched in between. The Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre have historically extended on both sides of the mountain range, with small northern portions now in France and much larger southern parts now in Spain. Sierra Nevada in Spain

5432-410: The creation of the Bank of Spain , the establishment of a confiscation policy and the creation of a budgetary system to control the deficit . In 1795 the Superintendency of the Treasury was suppressed assuming its responsibilities the ministry. Between the Peninsular War (1808-1814), it existed two treasury ministries, one belonging to the Napoleonic government and other to the Spanish one . For

5529-406: The creation of the General Deposit Fund, an instrument initially designed to rid the State of the dependence on banks when it comes to obtaining new loans . But in the end it did not have the expected effects. The development of the country and the need to remove it definitively from the financial crises that took place during the 19th century led to new economic and tributary reforms carried out by

5626-500: The existing establishments was encouraged. The greatest expansion process took place in the 1960s, coinciding with the important tourist development experienced by the country. In those years the Paradores Nacionales de Turismo network went from 40 to 83 establishments. During the 1980s, the company underwent a wide restructuring and reorganization, shutting down some obsolete facilities, and operating criteria were revised to improve profitability. In 1986, some establishments belonging to

5723-426: The first Albergue de Carretera was inaugurated in Manzanares ( Ciudad Real ). Of the seventeen initially planned Albergues, only twelve were built, and over time, many of them ended up being converted into paradors and the rest closing down. The Spanish Civil War was a halt for tourism. Some of the paradors were damaged or used as hospitals during the war. Once the conflict was over, the restoration and reopening of

5820-405: The first time gave importance to direct taxes and reduced indirect taxes , a reform that today is considered the beginning of the modern Treasury. It was also at this time that the Ministry acquired the current name. The minister Mon reform implied a new organic structure, to adapt its machinery to the new circumstances. It also involved the transfer of the Department to its current headquarters:

5917-427: The income of customs and provincial taxes. From within this Directorate, promoted by the Marquess of the Ensenada , Secretary of State for the Treasury, took place the creation of a general cadastre for Castile aimed at reducing the many indirect taxes and few direct contributions to a single tax, which had previously been created in the territories of the old Crown of Aragon during the reign of Philip V . Although

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6014-419: The island is an extremely popular holiday destination, particularly for tourists from Germany , Ireland , Poland , the Scandinavian countries , and the United Kingdom . The name derives from Latin insula maior , "larger island"; later Maiorica , "the larger one" in comparison to Menorca, "the smaller one". Spain is a generally mountainous country, with well-known ski resorts located in several parts of

6111-407: The island's government and the Spanish Tourist Office have controversially been working to promote more family-oriented tourism. Noted clubs include Space , Privilege , Amnesia , Ushuaïa, Pacha , DC10 , Eden, and Es Paradis. Ibiza is also home to the legendary "port" in Ibiza Town, a popular stop for many tourists and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Majorca or Mallorca is an island located in

6208-492: The largest European Royal Palaces, which is characterized by its luxurious rooms and its rich collections of armors and weapons, pharmaceutical, silverware, watches, paintings, tapestries and the most comprehensive collection of Stradivarius in the world The National Archaeological Museum of Spain collection includes, among others, Pre-historic , Celtic , Iberian , Greek and Roman antiquities and medieval ( Visigothic , Muslim and Christian) objects. Highlights include

6305-604: The leading city destinations in Europe. Both offer a matchless number of attractions and their importance in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, sports and arts contribute to their status as two of the world's major global cities. Fifteen Spanish cities have been declared World Heritage Cities by the UNESCO : Alcalá de Henares , Ávila , Baeza , Cáceres , Córdoba , Cuenca , Ibiza , Mérida , Salamanca , San Cristóbal de La Laguna , Santiago de Compostela , Segovia , Tarragona , Toledo and Úbeda . As of October 2016, Spain has 45 total sites inscribed on

6402-440: The list, third only to Italy (51) and China (50). Of these 45 sites, 40 are cultural, 3 are natural, and 2 are mixed (meeting both cultural and natural criteria), as determined by the organization's selection criteria . Other first-class destinations are Seville , Granada , Santander , Oviedo , Gijón , Bilbao and San Sebastián . All of them with historical landmarks and a lively cultural agenda. Besides hosting some of

6499-425: The maintenance of the buildings it operates, many of them monuments of high historical-artistic value declared Bien de Interés Cultural . According to Brand Finance, Paradores was the brand with the highest reputation in Spain in 2019–20 and the second in 2021. It was also the world's leading hotel company in reputation in 2019–21, and the only Spanish company in the global top 10. As of 2023, Paradores operates

6596-404: The maintenance of the national heritage. The Parador de Oropesa , opened on 7 February 1930, and inaugurated on 11 March, in the Medieval castle of Oropesa ( Toledo ), was the first located in a historic building. In May 1930, the Hostería de la Rábida in Palos de la Frontera ( Huelva ) and Hostería del Estudiante in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) were the first hosterías opened. Over the years,

6693-495: The masterpieces of Spanish illusionist painting, and Brussels tapestries inspired by paintings of Rubens. The Museum of Lázaro Galdiano houses an encyclopedic collection specializing in decorative arts. Apart from paintings and sculptures it displays 10th-century Byzantine enamel; Arab and Byzantine ivory chests; Hellenistic, Roman, medieval, renaissance, baroque and romantic jewelry; Pisanello and Pompeo Leoni medals; Spanish and Italian ceramics; Italian and Arab clothes and

6790-431: The ministers Laureano Figuerola (1869), Navarro Reverter (1895) and Raimundo Fernández Villaverde (1902-1903). This, together with the culmination of the codifying process in Spain , influenced new organic reforms of the Public Treasury and the beginning of the consolidation of a new bureaucratic structure. Between 1873 and 1878 the General Comptroller of the State Administration (the internal supervisory agency of

6887-487: The most renowned business schools in the world such as IE Business School , ESADE or IESE Business School , Spain is a popular destination for students from abroad. In particular, during the 2010–11 academic year Spain was the European country receiving the most Erasmus Programme students. Spain is an important place for Catholicism . In fact, some of the holiest places for the Catholic Church are in Spain: city of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (North-West Spain),

6984-434: The museum are: Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology , Evolutionary Ecology , Paleobiology , Vulcanology and Geology . The Naval Museum is managed by the Ministry of Defence. The Museum's mission is to acquire, preserve, investigate, report and display for study, education and contemplation, parts, sets and collections of historical, artistic, scientific and technical related to naval activity in order to disseminate

7081-718: The oldest continuously operating hotels in the world, the Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago de Compostela ( A Coruña ), founded in 1499 by the Catholic Monarchs as a hostelry and hospital for pilgrims at the very end of the Way of St James , and transferred to the network on 24 February 1986, is the finest parador, and with its 137 rooms for 262 guests is also the largest by capacity. The Parador de El Saler and its golf course in Valencia , occupying 71.2889 hectares (176.159 acres) of land,

7178-527: The paradors located in castles, palaces, fortresses, convents, monasteries and other historic buildings, there are also other located in modern buildings in nature areas with a special appeal and/or with panoramic views of historical and monumental cities. The paradors are divided in Esentia - monumental and historic hotels, Civia - urban hotels, and Naturia - hotels close to the coast and nature. Prices vary according to category , room, region and season. One of

7275-594: The paradors spread throughout the national territory and the hosterías were converted into paradors. At the same time, the Patronato Nacional de Turismo began the construction of the new Albergues de Carretera. These roadside hostels with repair shop and gas pump were located in rest areas at key points on the road network and were built following a design by architects Carlos Arniches Moltó and Martín Domínguez Esteban in International Style . On 12 March 1931,

7372-612: The popular Holy Week processions, which become important in almost every town, Seville arguably holds some of the most elaborate processions for Holy Week . Most festivals turn around patron saints, legends, local customs and folklore. Among the most singular ones stand out the Seville Fair (Feria de Abril in Spanish), the Romería de El Rocío in Almonte , Huelva , the world-famous running of

7469-580: The project failed, a whole program to be followed by the subsequent owners of the portfolio was established. During the reign of Charles IV an economic crisis began to take place in Spain , aggravated by the European political instability arising from the French Revolution . The reflection in the organization of the Administration was immediate: in 1790 the Secretary of State and the Universal Dispatch of

7566-561: The provision of information on the economic-financial activity of the different Public Administrations . The Finance Ministry also manages the cadastre and collects all the State taxes through the Agencia Tributaria as well as controlling the state-owned enterprises through the State Company of Industrial Participations (SEPI). Likewise, the MH manages the central government goods,

7663-575: The rebellious side the Finance Commission, later transformed in 1938 in the Ministry of Finance. After the war, the Francoist regime established an autarky system that was suppressed in the late 1950s. In 1957 a new tax reform was carried out and opened the way to raise the national income and remove the country definitively from the economic situation that followed the Civil War. This reform needed

7760-529: The resort PortAventura World or diverse water-fun parks are also popular. In 2014 Spain broke its own record of blue flag beaches , achieving 681 flags and becoming the leader in the Northern Hemisphere . Spain is also the leader in blue flags for marinas . As a crossroads of several civilisations, Spain offers a number of historical cities and towns. Major destinations include Spain's two largest cities: Madrid and Barcelona , which stand as two of

7857-532: The sea level (also the highest point in Spain). The Teide also has the distinction of being the most visited national park in Europe and second in the world. On top of that, by 2016 Spain is home to 48 biosphere reserves , covering 5.5 million hectares, almost 11% of the country, making Spain the world leader of such protected areas Madrid is considered one of the top European destinations concerning art museums. Best known

7954-601: The state public sector) was institutionalized. In 1881 the State Solicitors Corps was created coinciding with the consecration of the economic-administrative procedure. The same year, it was created the Inspectorate-General of the Treasury as an instrument to improve provincial economic management. The immediate effect was the creation of the Treasury Delegations in the provinces . Between 1902 and 1903

8051-499: The state tax system and the customs , as well as the resources of other national or European Public Administrations and Entities. Its creation supposes the harmonization of the organization of the tributary activity with the practices followed in the rest of the world. With the arrival of democracy , it was very common to see the ministries of Finance and Economy together (1982-2000; 2004-2011). However, today these ministries are different departments although closely related because

8148-455: The story sea of Spain; to help illustrate, highlight and preserve their traditions and promote national maritime awareness. The Monastery of Las Descalzas Reales resides in the former palace of King Charles I of Spain and Isabel of Portugal . Their daughter, Joan of Austria , founded this convent of nuns of the Poor Clare order in 1559. Throughout the remainder of the 16th century and into

8245-717: The structure of the Ministry when the Undersecretary for Treasury and Public Expenditure was abolished. The late 1970s Taxation Reform Plans, the approval of the General Budgetary Act and the approval of the Urgent Measures for Fiscal Reform Act, both in 1977, prepared the ground for the Spanish Constitution of 1978 . In 1992, the Spanish Tax Agency was created, a public body in charge of the management of

8342-611: The third holiest place after the Vatican City in Rome and Jerusalem . It is also the terminus of the Way of Saint James . Santo Toribio de Liébana , Cantabria (also in North Spain) is the fourth, followed by Caravaca de la Cruz at the South-East, (fifth holiest place). These places attract pilgrims and tourists from all over the world. Religion also has found its artistic expression through

8439-681: The tourism sector and are a reflection of what will be the worst year for this industry in terms of income ever recorded. However, by 2022 the industry had mostly recovered, with 71,659,281 international tourists and increasing. Spain ranks first among 140 countries in the biannual Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index published by the World Economic Forum in 2019, matching the top position already achieved in 2017 and 2015. The World Tourism Organization has its headquarters in Madrid . According to The Economist 2005 year list, Spain has

8536-728: The treasury was created. Part of that administration were the General Superintendence of the Royal Treasury and the Directorate of General Revenue, in charge of collecting the most beneficial taxes for the Crown: customs duties and those derived from tobacco , salt and lead , among others. All these departments maintained a certain independence from each other, to the point that the directorates-general functioned as today autonomous bodies do. and an organic subordination barely existed. To avoid conflicts of competence that could arise between

8633-621: The volcanic Canary Islands in the Atlantic, are also both very popular destinations with Spaniards and Europeans. In addition to the summer tourism, other modalities like cultural and monumental tourism congresses, sport or fun tourism have been developed in these areas, including such famous cities as Barcelona and Valencia , the biggest harbours of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Many coastal or island places also have great ecological and natural importance. Theme Parks like Terra Mítica , Tibidabo Amusement Park , Tivoli World and

8730-574: The water. Spanish freeways interconnecting the touristic cities are also linked with the French freeway network across the Pyrenees . The main train operator is Renfe , including AVE (Spanish high speed train ) or Talgo intercity services. Spain's high-speed rail link is the largest in Europe and second largest in the world after China. There is also a number of high-end tourism oriented hotel-train services, such as Transcantábrico . This type of tourism

8827-557: The world after the British Royal Collection , includes Impressionists , Expressionists , and European and American paintings from the second half of the 20th century, with over 1,600 paintings. The Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando currently functions as a museum and gallery that houses a fine art collection of paintings from the 15th to 20th centuries: Giovanni Bellini , Correggio , Rubens , Zurbarán , Murillo , Goya , Juan Gris , Pablo Serrano . The academy

8924-455: The world's 10th highest quality of life . In March 2023, more than 6.5 million international passengers arrived in Spain, marking a growth of 30% compared to 2022. Most visitors arriving to Spain on a short-term basis were from the following countries: Spain's national airline is Iberia , but the country can be flown into on many international passenger airlines and charter airlines . Tourists also arrive in Spain by road, rail and over

9021-495: The world, and it is considered to be among the greatest museums of art. It has the best collection of paintings by Goya, Velázquez, El Greco , Patinir , José de Ribera , and other Spanish artists, as well as major collections of Rubens , Titian , Hieronymus Bosch , Rogier van der Weyden , Raphael , Tintoretto , Veronese , Caravaggio , Van Dyck , Albrecht Dürer , Claude Lorrain , Murillo and Zurbarán , among others. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS)

9118-490: The world, with objects and human remains from around the world, highlighting a Guanche mummy of the island of Tenerife. Ministry of Finance (Spain) The Ministry of Finance or Ministry of Treasury ( MH ) is the department of the Government of Spain responsible for planning and carrying out the government policy on public finance and budget . It applies and manages the regional and local financing systems and

9215-640: Was created chaired by the marquess himself. It was in August 1926 when the Royal Tourism Commission began the construction of the first establishment at a location in a nature area of the Sierra de Gredos chosen by King Alfonso XIII himself. On 25 April 1928, the new Patronato Nacional de Turismo (National Tourist Board) assumed the functions of the Royal Commission. Finally, after some time in operation,

9312-629: Was created. In 1836, the administration continued growing and the Directorate-General for Confiscated Properties was created —direct predecessor of the current Directorate-General for the State Heritage— and the Treasury Offices for the Indies are suppressed. The unstoppable constitutionalist process that took place during the reign of Isabella II imperatively needed a sound public finances as

9409-537: Was the first to be developed in Spain, and today, generates the most income for the Spanish economy. The mild climate during the whole year and the extensive sandy beaches of the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean as well as of its two archipelagoes (the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands respectively) have been attracting tourists from Northern Europe for decades. The leading source markets of Spanish beach tourism are

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