Huesca temática

Number 99. August of 2006Spanish language Principal menu


Goya street, in Huesca

Centric, historical,
and traditionally commercial


      This street, has the name of most brilliant of Aragonese painters and one of the best of the world. Don Francisco de Goya y Lucientes was born in Fuendetodos (Zaragoza) the 30 March of 1746, initiating his first artistic steps in the factory that his father had in Zaragoza. He also worked in the factory of Luzán and made contact with Francisco Bayeu, who facilitated the transfer to him to Madrid, with the support also of the powerful family of the Pignatelli, Counts of Fuentes. Of his youthful stage emphasizes the oratorio of the palace of Counts de Gabarda in Zaragoza, the decoration of the vault of Coreto in the Pillar and the cupola of the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Source in Muel town. His masterpiece is the Cupola Regina Martyrum of the Pillar of Zaragoza (1780). At that time he also makes the decoration mural of the Cartuja de Aula Dei, near Zaragoza.
      Courtier and regal portrait artist (the Family of Carlos IV), also knows to catch the popular life (the Prairie of San Isidro and the series of engravings the Tauromaquia -the art of bullfighting-). But it will be the war of the Independence that will mark a track to him that, next to his progressive deafness, will tend to sour more and plus his character. His "black humor", manifestation of a strange world, had become patent or in the Caprichos (Whims), but now he will reflect all the tear and the pain of his experiences in the series of the Disasters, or in the Executions; his surrealist background will be left patent in paintings of the Quinta del Sordo (Village of the Deaf person). After his exile in France, fruit of his constant dissatisfaction and revolt, dies in Bordeaux the 16 of April of 1828.
      The street of Goya is popularly known -still today- like the Alpargán, in memory of the old door of this name that existed there, and that was one from the accesses to the city, coming from the way of the East that crossed the Isuela river and crossed the Morería (Lanuza street). The arc still was conserved until 1878, date in which was demolished. The street of the Alpargán was much more narrow, since in the side of Correría the church of the Santo Spirit was raised. Indeed behind this one, towards half of the present street, it was formerly the square of San Julian, where there was market at least in the century XV, and whose adjacent houses were tributary of the Brotherhood of same name, in the church of Sancti Spiritus. In 1877 there was controversy by the possible closing of this street -called then of Mozárabes- with some pylons, and thus to prevent the traffic of cavalries and vehicles, due to badly condition in which was this thoroughfare.
     It is a rectilinear street, with minimum deviation, that beginning in the Coso Bajo street, finishes in the final third of the street of Ramiro El Monje (“La Correría”), exactly where was during years the pharmacy of Mr. José Antonio Llanas Almudévar who was mayor of Huesca between years 1979-1983. In this part, indeed, the street is wider, causing the sensation of which should try of being a very small square, in spite of its tiny proportions, if not it would be because the sidewalks allow -in both sides- the parking of vehicles.
      The street is not excessively long; so hardly 20 numbers in the pairs numbers. But in spite of it, has been able to give to much game, obtaining an important historical protagonism, very marked already from old by its commercial activities. The importance of its neighboring streets and squares, has been meant in the street of Goya, since the squares of López Allué (old market) and the one of San Pedro, have exerted great influence doing of this street, a forced step to arrive at them. The same happens if we try of going to the square of the cathedral from the "Coso Bajo" street; in such case we will go by Goya - San Pedro Square - San Salvador street. - Las Cortes - Cathedral. It is then, a street totally integrated in the old central area of the city, that belongs to the parish and district of San Pedro the Old.

      Another historical influence, constitutes the proximity to the street of Lanuza, where traditionally lived good number of market gardeners whom caused, to a great extent, the proliferation of feeding commerce and greengrocer's. But in the street of Goya, there have been commerce of different class: ultrasailors, butcher's shop, boardinghouse, hardware store, blacksmith shop, ice warehouse (in passage Nevería), furnitures, bakery, hairdressing salon, textiles shops, hand works shop, driving school, gifts, jewelry shop, travel agency, repair of footwear, pub, .....
      In which it is a pub, it was “Navalés” house, that was ultrasailors. In first floor, Mrs. Vicenta lived, who had a small parrot -call Pedrito- that spoke to the pedestrian and that frequently escaped, forcing to its capture repeated times; generally in the electrical hose that crosses the street.
     In the Passage of the Cisne, was the Gil Jalle butcher's shop whose first proprietor was Mr. Jose Gil; soon it would be Paúles butcher's shop, today it is a store of textiles (Nativel Curtains). Opposite, the blacksmith shop of Mr. Bergua, who is occupied today by the Partidero. The crafts factory of L'Alpargán, was ultrasailors, as the next store of bed and tables clothes, Candela Murillo - in nº 9-, was formerly a greengrocer's shop of the Lera family. Where it is today Donald y sus amigos - store for children- was La Española, popular establishment of Lodging, Bar and Boardinghouse.
      At the beginning of the street, and corner to Coso Bajo street, at the odd number (in which it was Argenta), existed the La Casa del Fumador, an only establishment of these characteristics in Huesca. Next, was Casa Toribio, peculiar and tiny store of pickles (gherkins, chives, olives,…), so popular, that frequently it was necessary to form a queue in the street. Above, corner to the La Palma street (passage), Larroche, that was bar and club of first in having table football in Huesca. Later a store selling cleaning materials and other household goods would settle. Of these establishments, today there aren't a trace..

 Show another photograph

      There is great commercial assortment of the Goya street. In the odd numbers, we found: Gabarre furniture, Bernabé New features (Woven), Silvia Llorente (crafts of the silver), Santolaria bakery, El Partidero crafts, repair of the footwear KIKO'S, Musical Pardo, Goya Fruits Vegetables, El Barato (clothes to dress), Glauka (Travel agency). In the no odd numbers: Soler patisserie (single showcase), Gabarre Gifts, Goya Driving school, Argenta (silversmith's workshop), Candela Murillo (bed and table clothes), L'Alpargán Crafts, Nativel Curtains, Donald y sus amigos and Pub Bugalú (today closed)
      Of most veteran, was the Pardo hardware store, with origins in 1934, although his founder Mr. José Pardo Turón, seems that two years before, had installed the commerce in which today it is Nativel. Running the hardware store already by Jose María Sánchez (son of the founder), the shop was extended with a section of musical instruments, that is what at the moment is known as “Musical Pardo”. The hardware store like so, disappeared in the last decade of the last century.

§§§§§§§§§§----------------

 To see some photographs of this article ....
"The streets of Huesca", by J. Brioso y Mayral
** Manuel Tomé Bosqued




  Hay más artículos !!All literary articles of Upper Aragon (Huesca, España)


 Visite Huesca, le sorprenderá ....