The Pyrenees (whose highest point is Spain's Pico d'Aneto 3,404 m; 11,168 ft) extend from the Bay of Biscay (west, left) to the Gulf of Lyon (east, right). Spain lies south of the range, France is to the north, and Andorra is entirely within the range near the eastern snow patch. There is a long history of mining in the Pyrenees - tin, tungsten, talc, fluorite, barium, and gold. Image courtesy of NASA.

The Alps may be more famous, but the Pyrenees have been around much longer - tens of millions of years longer, in fact. These mountains formed between 100 and 150 million years ago when the landmass that Spain occupies pushed into the one that France occupies. The mountains have served as a natural barrier between the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and the rest of Europe ever since. Stretching east to west across 430 sq km (166 sq mi), the Pyrenees fall mostly within Spain's borders, but also pass into the independent state of Andorra. The NASA Terra satellite captured this image of part of the Central Pyrenees - the highest part of the range - on 1 August 2000. In this false-color image, clouds appear white, snow appears pale blue, vegetation appears green, and bare ground appears as either pink or dark, bluish-purple. Water on the ground appears dark blue (or nearly black). In this shot, the vegetated areas are mostly to the north, and the peaks to the south are mostly bare rock. Patches of dark purple that are visible along rivers and in valley floors are probably developed areas. Image courtesy of NASA.

The Strait of Gibraltar provides a natural physical barrier between the countries of Spain (north) and Morocco (south). This photo shows the mountainous northern coast of Morocco and the coastal mountains of southern Spain, including the dagger-shaped, snow-covered Sierra Nevada Mountains of southeastern Spain. The British territory of Gibraltar is located on the thin, wedge-shaped peninsula on the east side of the bay in the southernmost protrusion of Spain. The city of Ceuta is a Spanish enclave on the extreme northeastern coast of Morocco. Image courtesy of NASA.

This space shuttle photo was taken near sunset. Two packets of tidally-generated internal waves are highlighted by sunglint off the surface waters in the Strait of Gibraltar. The older packet (labeled) contains at least 14 waves, which can be counted like tree rings. A younger group is forming near the middle of the strait (marked by the carat south of Gibraltar). The waves are generated as a diurnal tidal pulse flows over the shallow Camarinal Sill at Gibraltar. The waves flow eastward and refract around coastal features; they can be traced for as much as 150 km. Image credit: NASA.

Algeciras, Spain (left), the Bay of Gibraltar (Bahia de Algecira), and Gibraltar itself (right) are featured in this detailed vertical view over the European side of the Strait of Gibraltar. Ship traffic in the bay can easily be seen. Image courtesy of NASA.

The small Spanish enclave of Ceuta occupies a narrow isthmus of land on the African side of the Strait of Gibraltar; the rest of the surrounding territory is Morocco. Densely populated Ceuta occupies the center of the image, its pink and white residential and industrial rooftops occasionally broken by patches of green - city parks and athletic fields. North of the city, seawalls enclose a small bay and harbor. On the beach, bright blue patches are large water parks. The Spanish fort at Monte Hacho on the eastern isthmus tip commands a clear view of the Strait. Image credit: NASA.

Saharan dust blowing off the west coast of Africa and over the Canary Islands (a Spanish archipelago) on 11 November 2006. The horizontal line is the border between Morocco (to the north) and Western Sahara. The plumes of dust are more distinct off the coast of the former than the latter. The fine particles blow to the northwest, and although the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria appear unaffected, the neighboring islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are receiving a strong dusting. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

Scene in the old walled town of Pensicola in Andalusia.

A view of the city of Toledo. On the right is the castle-fortress known as the Alcazar.

Ronda, a city perched on cliffs in the province of Malaga. This mountainous area of Andalucia is roughly 750 m (2,500 ft) above sea level.

Well-preserved Roman aqueduct a few kilometers north of the city of Tarragona.

View of the Valley of the Fallen, a memorial to the dead of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), in the municipality of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

A view of Barcelona from the heights overlooking the city.

The Sagrada Familia (Basilica and Exiatory Church of the Holy Family) in Barcelona was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni GAUDI. Construction began in 1882 and completion is hoped for by 2026. Construction is dependent on donations. The church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia in Barcelona is the seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. It was constructed from the 13th to the 15th centuries, with the bulk of the work done in the 14th century.

The neo-Gothic facade of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Santa Eulalia in Barcelona (built 13th-15th centuries).

The crypt of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Santa Eulalia in Barcelona. The saint is the patron of the Spanish city.

Evidence of damage dating back to the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) may be seen on this church wall in the Old City in Barcelona.

Doric columns supporting the roof of the lower court that forms the central terrace at the unique Park Guell garden complex in Barcelona. Designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi and built between 1910 and 1914, the park is full of his mosaics including this ceiling rondel.

The facade of the City Hall in Barcelona.

Chapel of St. Agatha in the Palau Reial Major (Grand Royal Palace) in Barcelona. The royal chapel was built in the 14th century.

Building in the complex of the Grand Royal Palace in Barcelona. The palace dates to the 11th century.

View of Cordoba showing the Roman Bridge and the massive Mesquita complex on the left.

Courtyard of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin (Mezquita) in Cordoba. The cathedral was originally a church (constructed about A.D. 600) that was considerably expanded and converted to a mosque during the Muslim conquest (it became the second-largest mosque in the world). Following the recapture of the city in 1236, the building was reconsecrated as a Christian church and additional architectural alterations were added in subsequent centuries.

Interior of the Mezquita in Cordoba showing some of the distinctive Muslim architecture and a section of the dome.

The treasure chamber in the Mezquita of Cordoba houses a remarkable monstrance - a vessel used to display a consecrated Eucharistic Host - constructed by the German master goldsmith Heinrich von Arfe between 1510 and 1516.

Monument in Cordoba to the famous Andalusian-Arab polymath Ibn Rushd (1126-1198; known in European literature as Averroes).

Cordoba monument honoring a native son, the eminent Jewish philosopher Maimonides (1135-1204).

Original Moorish Garden at the Alhambra, Granada.

Alhambra garden viewed through an archway, Granada.

View of Granada from the Alhambra.

Courtyard of the Lions at the Alhambra, Granada.

Courtyard in front of the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

View of the gardens through a window at the El Escorial.

Tombs of Spanish kings and queens at the El Escorial.

The Catedral de Santa Maria de la Sede (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See) at Seville is the largest Gothic cathedral - and the third largest church - in the world.

La Giralda, one of the two bell towers of the Catedral de Santa Maria de la Sede (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See) at Seville. The lower two-thirds of the structure are a former minaret.

The Patio de las Doncellas (Courtyard of the Maidens) in the Alcazar in Seville.

Fountain in the Garden of El Estanque in the Alcazar in Seville.

Gateway in the gardens of the Alcazar in Seville.

Pathway in the gardens of the Alcazar in Seville.

North facade of the Royal Palace in Madrid.

West facade of the Royal Palace in Madrid as seen from the Campo del Moro (Garden of the Moors).

Interior detail from the Cathedral of Toledo.

Exterior detail over one of the Cathedral doors in Toledo.

The Aqueduct of Segovia - built of unmortared, granite blocks - is one of the best-preserved Roman monuments on the Iberian peninsula. It is one of the symbols of Segovia and appears on the city's coat of arms.

Garden at the Alcazar (fortress) in Segovia.

View of the 16th-century Cathedral of Segovia as seen from the Torre de Juan II (Tower of John II) in the Alcazar. Built between 1525 and 1577, this late Gothic structure - dedicated to the Virgin Mary - is referred to as the "Dame of Spanish Cathedrals."

Ceiling detail in the Cathedral of Segovia.

The library at El Escorial, the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real, contains many priceless manuscripts, as well as artwork by Titian, El Greco, Valazquez, and many others.

The interior of the neo-Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria la Real de La Almudena in Madrid.

The Puerta de Alcala (Alcala Gate) monument in the Plaza de la Independencia (Independence Square) in Madrid. Inaugurated by King Carlos III in 1778, it originally functioned as an enormous gate in the city's wall.

The Bear and the Arbutus (Strawberry Tree) in the Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate) in Madrid. The bear eating the fruit of the tree is the heraldic symbol of the city of Madrid.

The Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Madrid. Inaugurated in 1931, it has a capacity of 25,000.

The Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) in the Parque del Buen Retiro (Park of the Pleasant Retreat) in Madrid. Inspired by The Crystal Palace in London, it was built of glass and steel in 1887 - originally to keep alive exotic plants from the Philippines.

The eclectic Palacio de Comunicaciones (Palace of Communications) in Madrid successfully combines elements of Gothic, Romanesque, and Renaissance architecture. Opened as the headqusrters for the Post and Telegraph State Company in 1909, it became the municipal headquarters of Madrid in 2007.

The Lago Metro Station in Madrid is one of the few surface stations of the system. First opened in 1919, the Madrid Metro is one of the largest subway systems in the world.

The Palacio Real (Royal Palace) in Aranjuez, 48 km (30 mi) south of Madrid, is one of the residences of the King of Spain. It was commissioned by Philip II in the late 16th century, but not completed until the middle of the 18th century.

Part of the Palacio Real de Aranjuez fan collection.

Part of the Palacio Real de Aranjuez fan collection.