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THE COMPASS

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Spain

From the majestic peaks of the Pyrenees to the sun-splashed plazas of Andalusia and the modernist masterpieces of Catalonia, Spain's rich cultural heritage encompasses many distinct regions—each with its own traditions, flavors, and history. In this edition, we learn why Spain's wealthiest region wants independence, uncover priceless primate fossils found in a garbage dump, and take a look inside Spain's unusual baby jumping festival.
Let's explore Spain.

HISTORY & CULTURE

Traditional correfoc, or "fire-run," performers dress as devils and light fireworks from pitchforks during a during a Catalan pro-independence demonstration in September, 2017.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID RAMOS, GETTY

Why Spain's wealthiest region wants independence

Catalonia has its own cultural identity and a robust separatist movement, despite crackdowns from Madrid.

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"Castells" a film by Pedro and James.

VIDEO BY AUTOBAHN LONDON

These death-defying human towers build on Catalan tradition

The people of Catalonia uphold their culture, literally, by building human towers.

Traditional Basque dancers leap in a National Geographic photograph from the 1950s.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JUSTIN LOCKE, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

How the Basques became an autonomous community within Spain

The centuries-long struggle for Basque independence may set an example for similar groups in the country.

This silver diadem still adorned the skull of a woman when her 3,700-year-old grave was discovered at the site of La Almoloya in southeastern Spain.

PHOTOGRAPH BY J.A. SOLDEVILLA, COURTESY OF THE ARQUEOECOLOGIA SOCIAL MEDITERRÀNIA RESEARCH GROUP, UNIVERSITAT AUTÒNOMA DE BARCELONA

Ancient woman may have been powerful European leader, 4,000-year-old treasure suggests

The lavish discoveries could undermine the idea that state power is almost exclusively a product of male-dominated societies, researchers say.

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SCIENCE & ANIMALS

Abocador de Can Mata is one of the largest landfills in Spain. Since 2002, a team of paleontologists from the Miquel Crusafont Catalán Institute of Paleontology (ICP) in Barcelona have found about 70,000 fossils from this period, when the region’s neotropical climate was becoming more arid.

PHOTOGRAPH BY PAOLO VERZONE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

The priceless primate fossils found in a garbage dump

As the Can Mata landfill expands in Catalonia, paleontologists are uncovering the bones of ancient species that are the precursors to apes—and us.

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Geologist Milagros Carretero maneuvers through the gigantic Pulpí Geode in Spain in August 2019.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JORGE GUERRERO, AFP, GETTY IMAGES

These human-size crystals formed in especially strange ways

New clues into ancient climate shifts reveal the possible origin story of Spain's Pulpí Geode, one of the world's largest.

Carla Heras, a volunteer at Santuario Gaia in Camprodon, Spain, cradles Laietana the duck. Laietana is one of 1,500 animals—most rescued from the streets and the farming industry—living at the sanctuary. Gaia is among a few dozen sanctuaries in Spain providing a home to animals previously farmed for food.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANA PALACIOS

In Spain, sanctuaries give forever homes to rescued farmed animals

"Sometimes I honestly just cry looking at them, from happiness."

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Seated on a winged throne, the colorful Lady of Baza was found in an Iberian necropolis in Baza, Spain. The piece was created in the early fourth century B.C.

ASF/ALBUM

This 2,400-year-old statue reveals insights into ancient Spain

Hungry for artifacts from an elusive Iberian civilization, archaeologists were thrilled to find an elaborate funerary statue dubbed the "Lady of Baza."

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“La Virgen de la Mosca,” painted in the 1520s, depicts the calm, cool character of Queen Isabella I. Santa María la Mayor Collegial Church, Toro, Spain.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ORONOZ/ALBUM

To seize power in Spain, Queen Isabella had to play it smart

Bold, strategic, and steady, Isabella of Castile navigated an unlikely rise to the throne and ushered in a golden age for Spain.

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TRAVEL

DREAM NOW, GO LATER

Sunrise warms the Picos de Europa, part of the Cordillera Cantabrica range that secludes Asturias from the rest of Spain.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHIARA GOIA

Discover why this stunning region is Spain's best-kept secret

Asturias entices with gorgeous landscapes and world-class cuisine.

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The Cathedral of Málaga towers over the city.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT HARDING PICTURE LIBRARY, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Beyond Barcelona: A weekend on Málaga's magical coast

Find bright beaches, fresh seafood, and Pablo Picasso in this vibrant Mediterranean city.

A man representing the devil leaps over babies during the festival of El Colacho in Castrillo de Murcia, Spain.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DENIS DOYLE, GETTY IMAGES

Look inside Spain's unusual baby jumping festival

This unorthodox baptism dates back to the 17th century and has roots in paganism.

The Arganzuela Footbridge in Madrid, Spain, was designed by architect Dominique Perrault.

PHOTOGRAPH BY FACTO FOTO, AGE FOTOSTOCK / GETTY IMAGES

Everything to know about Madrid

Here's how to plan the best possible trip to this easy-to-love European capital.

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WHERE WILL WE JOURNEY TO NEXT?

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