Page 141 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

SAN SEBASTIÁN  139

Located next to Gros beach,
to the east of the old town, it
has helped to revive this once
under-used beach. The glass-
walled structure hosts the Film
Festival, other cultural events
and a fashionable café-bar.
Y Monte Igueldo
Monte Igueldo, which closes
the western end of the bay,
looks as if it has toppled over –
the layers of rock at the foot
of the hill lie vertically. The
hill itself, with a funfair and
a 19th-century lighthouse,
is an ideal spot for rest and
The Neo-Gothic Catedral del Buen Pastor recreation. A funicular railway
takes visitors to the summit.
E Museo San Telmo defunct, a new solution was
Plaza Zuloaga 1. Tel 943 48 15 80. needed – especially after 1854, v Funicular Railway
Open 10am–8pm Tue–Sun. when the city became the Tel 943 21 05 64. Open Spring &
& (free Tue). 8 Sat & Sun. 7 provincial capital. The architect autumn: 11am–8pm Mon–Fri,
∑ museosantelmo.com Antonio Cortázar put forward a 10am–9pm Sat, Sun & hols; summer:
One of the most exciting project for the redevelopment 10am–10pm daily; winter: 11am–6pm
museums in Northern Spain, of the city: a new district arose Mon–Tue & Thu–Fri, 11am–7pm
Sat & Sun. &
Museo San Telmo has a with a grid of broad, airy
fascinating display on Basque boulevards leading down to the
culture, mythology and folk Paseo de la Concha, the beach-
traditions. Housed in a Neo- side promenade. Key elements
Renaissance building with a of this redevelopment included
modern exhibition hall at the the cathedral of Buen Pastor, the
foot of Monte Urgull, its exhibits Palacio Miramar, and the tree-
include ancient tombstones, lined Plaza de Guipúzcoa. The
magic charms, a reconstruction most impres sive building remains
of a traditional cottage, musical Goiko’s Palacio de la Diputación,
instruments, tools and sports its façade decorated with the
equipment. The ground floor busts of famous Basques.
comprises a church, a beautiful
cloister accommodating the P Kursaal
archaeo logical section, and Avda. de Zurriola 1. Tel 943 00 30 00.
rooms for temporary exhibitions. ∑ kursaal.org
The impressive permanent This spectacular, avant-garde
art collection includes works convention centre was
by El Greco, Alonso Cano, designed by architect Rafael The tower on Monte Igueldo – a good
Rubens, Ribera and Zuloaga. Moneo, and opened in 1999. observation point
R Cathedral
Plaza del Buen Pastor. Tel 943 46 45 16. Festivals in San Sebastián
Open 8:30am–12:30pm & 5–8pm The International Film Festival, founded
Mon–Fri, during services Sat–Sun. in 1953, is one of five leading European
The Neo-Gothic cathedral was annual film festivals. It is held in
designed by Manuel de Echave, September and draws more than
while the 75-m (246-ft) high 100,000 spectators. The special
tower is the work of Ramón Donostia Prize is awarded as a tribute
Cortázar. Its rich ornamentation to the career of an actor or director;
includes stained-glass windows winners include the actor Jessica Lange
by Juan Bautista Lázara, and film director and screen writer
gargoyles and pinnacles. Woody Allen. Prizes also go to new
films. In addition, the city hosts one of
P New Town Europe’s oldest jazz festivals (July), an
Right up until the 19th century, international theatre festival, and a
San Sebastián was encircled by classical music festival (August). Jessica Lange at the Film Festival
walls. When these became

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