Believe it or not, there's more to Spain than the stereotypical tapas, flamenco and cheap holidays. The country is also responsible for a world of inventions, some that you might not have initially expected. Here's a list of some of the most surprising contributions the country has made to society.
You can also thank the Spanish for inventing cigarettes, thought to be created by the country's street beggars who could easily find pieces of waste paper to wrap their tobacco in.
Perhaps the most famous and world-changing of all alleged Spanish inventions is the acoustic guitar. In fact, many people refer to the traditional acoustic guitar as the Spanish guitar. The shape and form of the modern classical guitar is an Iberian invention and is credited to Antonio Torres in around 1850. Torres took steps to increase the size of the guitar body and made changes to the top bracing pattern to create the model we know today. His actions made huge improvements to the tone, volume and projection of the instrument and his measures remain pretty much unchanged today.
Although the head piece, the beret, is often associated with the French, it was in fact the Spaniards that came up with the stylish accessory. Although it was originally created right on the French border in the Pyrenees by shepherds, explaining the garment's underlying association with France.
Although there's debate as to who actually created Coca Cola (some say it was an Atlanta-based chemist), Spain claim to have founded the fizzy drink. However, Valencian Juan Mica claims that his great-great uncle invented the drink, then called Nuez de Kola Coca. He supposedly took the drink to the United States, won a prize for his brew in Philadelphia and then sold the recipe. The claim is still unresolved. That said, there are lots of photographs from the time of a Spanish drink going by the old name. Although which came first, Coca Cola or Nuez de Kola Coca, we are likely to never find out for definite.
You can also thank the Spanish for inventing cigarettes, thought to be created by the country's street beggars who could easily find pieces of waste paper to wrap their tobacco in.
Perhaps the most famous and world-changing of all alleged Spanish inventions is the acoustic guitar. In fact, many people refer to the traditional acoustic guitar as the Spanish guitar. The shape and form of the modern classical guitar is an Iberian invention and is credited to Antonio Torres in around 1850. Torres took steps to increase the size of the guitar body and made changes to the top bracing pattern to create the model we know today. His actions made huge improvements to the tone, volume and projection of the instrument and his measures remain pretty much unchanged today.
Although the head piece, the beret, is often associated with the French, it was in fact the Spaniards that came up with the stylish accessory. Although it was originally created right on the French border in the Pyrenees by shepherds, explaining the garment's underlying association with France.
Although there's debate as to who actually created Coca Cola (some say it was an Atlanta-based chemist), Spain claim to have founded the fizzy drink. However, Valencian Juan Mica claims that his great-great uncle invented the drink, then called Nuez de Kola Coca. He supposedly took the drink to the United States, won a prize for his brew in Philadelphia and then sold the recipe. The claim is still unresolved. That said, there are lots of photographs from the time of a Spanish drink going by the old name. Although which came first, Coca Cola or Nuez de Kola Coca, we are likely to never find out for definite.
About the Author:
Catherine McCulloch is a travel writer who often goes on trips to Spain. Click here for fantastic offers from MyTravel.
