Skies of Spain
The Temple of Debod, the Mirador de San Nicolás, Finisterre, La Caleta, Mount Teide, Cap de Barbaria, Cabo de Gata and the Peñón de Ifach: eight skies of Spain, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
Each sky as it is seen from the horizon upwards: six bands from the warm glow of the horizon to the top of the sky, then the sun and the landscape. They are read from freely licensed photographs of each place, taken as inspiration; the sky changes every day, so these are one evening or one morning, not the only true colours.
Temple of Debod, Madrid
Spain · sunset
An Egyptian temple of the 2nd century BC, given to Spain by the Egyptian government, rebuilt stone by stone and opened to the public in 1972 in the Parque del Cuartel de la Montaña, near the Plaza de España (esMadrid, the city’s tourist office).
The sun has just gone: a band of pink and lilac stays low over the horizon, the sky above deepens to an intense blue, and the lit stones of the temple turn a dark reddish brown.
Temple of Debod, Madrid · horizon
The horizon, where the sky is warmest: the light crosses the most air and only the reds and oranges get through.
Material: Temple of Debod, Madrid, sunset, horizon
RGB(236, 120, 121)
Temple of Debod, Madrid · just above the horizon
Just above the horizon, the brightest band of the glow.
Material: Temple of Debod, Madrid, sunset, just above the horizon
RGB(153, 139, 173)
Temple of Debod, Madrid · lower sky
The lower sky, where the warm colours start to fade.
Material: Temple of Debod, Madrid, sunset, lower sky
RGB(133, 157, 216)
Temple of Debod, Madrid · middle sky
Halfway up, where warm and cool meet.
Material: Temple of Debod, Madrid, sunset, middle sky
RGB(83, 142, 225)
Temple of Debod, Madrid · upper sky
The upper sky, already closer to the colour of the day or of the night.
Material: Temple of Debod, Madrid, sunset, upper sky
RGB(37, 114, 204)
Temple of Debod, Madrid · top of the sky
The top of the sky in the photograph.
Material: Temple of Debod, Madrid, sunset, top of the sky
RGB(24, 86, 184)
Temple of Debod, Madrid · sun
The glow around the sun, not the blinding disc itself.
Material: Temple of Debod, Madrid, sunset, sun
RGB(255, 245, 222)
Temple of Debod, Madrid · landscape
The stone of the temple, lit against the dusk.
Material: Temple of Debod, Madrid, sunset, landscape
RGB(85, 22, 8)
Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada
Spain · sunset
The viewpoint from which the Alhambra is seen in all its splendour, with the mountains behind. Turespaña, Spain’s tourist board, recalls that a former president of the United States, after watching the sunset there, called it “the most beautiful sunset in the world”.
Here the sunset is behind you: the sky over the sierra turns a pale powder pink, the mountains go mauve, and the walls of the Alhambra blaze red ochre in the last light.
Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada · horizon
The horizon, where the sky is warmest: the light crosses the most air and only the reds and oranges get through.
Material: Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada, sunset, horizon
RGB(228, 199, 184)
Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada · just above the horizon
Just above the horizon, the brightest band of the glow.
Material: Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada, sunset, just above the horizon
RGB(227, 200, 185)
Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada · lower sky
The lower sky, where the warm colours start to fade.
Material: Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada, sunset, lower sky
RGB(228, 195, 184)
Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada · middle sky
Halfway up, where warm and cool meet.
Material: Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada, sunset, middle sky
RGB(229, 192, 183)
Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada · upper sky
The upper sky, already closer to the colour of the day or of the night.
Material: Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada, sunset, upper sky
RGB(232, 194, 183)
Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada · top of the sky
The top of the sky in the photograph.
Material: Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada, sunset, top of the sky
RGB(239, 199, 185)
Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada · light on the sierra
The last light on the mountains: the sun is behind the viewer.
Material: Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada, sunset, light on the sierra
RGB(198, 164, 168)
Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada · landscape
The walls of the Alhambra, red in the last light.
Material: Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada, sunset, landscape
RGB(207, 107, 63)
Cape Finisterre
Spain · sunset
Finis Terrae, “once considered to be the end of the world”, on the Costa da Morte in Galicia. Pilgrims who walk on from Santiago can ask for the Fisterrana certificate when they arrive (Turespaña).
A golden sunset over the Atlantic: amber at the horizon, ochre and olive gold higher up, and the sea darkening to bronze under the cliffs.
Cape Finisterre · horizon
The horizon, where the sky is warmest: the light crosses the most air and only the reds and oranges get through.
Material: Cape Finisterre, sunset, horizon
RGB(166, 102, 44)
Cape Finisterre · just above the horizon
Just above the horizon, the brightest band of the glow.
Material: Cape Finisterre, sunset, just above the horizon
RGB(191, 128, 57)
Cape Finisterre · lower sky
The lower sky, where the warm colours start to fade.
Material: Cape Finisterre, sunset, lower sky
RGB(184, 136, 67)
Cape Finisterre · middle sky
Halfway up, where warm and cool meet.
Material: Cape Finisterre, sunset, middle sky
RGB(176, 140, 81)
Cape Finisterre · upper sky
The upper sky, already closer to the colour of the day or of the night.
Material: Cape Finisterre, sunset, upper sky
RGB(164, 139, 88)
Cape Finisterre · top of the sky
The top of the sky in the photograph.
Material: Cape Finisterre, sunset, top of the sky
RGB(150, 134, 91)
Cape Finisterre · sun
The glow around the sun, not the blinding disc itself.
Material: Cape Finisterre, sunset, sun
RGB(253, 255, 216)
Cape Finisterre · landscape
The landscape: the sea, rock or water that the light paints.
Material: Cape Finisterre, sunset, landscape
RGB(59, 48, 26)
La Caleta, Cádiz
Spain · sunset
The cove of Cádiz closed at each end by a fortification, the castle of Santa Catalina and the castle of San Sebastián, with a seafront promenade lined with palm trees (Turespaña).
The sun has set behind the castle and its lighthouse: rust and orange over the Atlantic, sand in the middle of the sky, a soft grey above, and a sea already the colour of slate.
La Caleta, Cádiz · horizon
The horizon, where the sky is warmest: the light crosses the most air and only the reds and oranges get through.
Material: La Caleta, Cádiz, sunset, horizon
RGB(164, 90, 56)
La Caleta, Cádiz · just above the horizon
Just above the horizon, the brightest band of the glow.
Material: La Caleta, Cádiz, sunset, just above the horizon
RGB(200, 133, 74)
La Caleta, Cádiz · lower sky
The lower sky, where the warm colours start to fade.
Material: La Caleta, Cádiz, sunset, lower sky
RGB(193, 149, 98)
La Caleta, Cádiz · middle sky
Halfway up, where warm and cool meet.
Material: La Caleta, Cádiz, sunset, middle sky
RGB(173, 150, 120)
La Caleta, Cádiz · upper sky
The upper sky, already closer to the colour of the day or of the night.
Material: La Caleta, Cádiz, sunset, upper sky
RGB(152, 146, 137)
La Caleta, Cádiz · top of the sky
The top of the sky in the photograph.
Material: La Caleta, Cádiz, sunset, top of the sky
RGB(136, 138, 142)
La Caleta, Cádiz · sun
The glow around the sun, not the blinding disc itself.
Material: La Caleta, Cádiz, sunset, sun
RGB(223, 130, 65)
La Caleta, Cádiz · landscape
The landscape: the sea, rock or water that the light paints.
Material: La Caleta, Cádiz, sunset, landscape
RGB(78, 78, 82)
Mount Teide, Tenerife
Spain · sunset
The highest peak in Spain, 3,715 metres high, in the oldest and largest national park of the Canary Islands (Ministry for the Ecological Transition). Turespaña describes its sunsets at more than 2,000 metres, with the sun sinking into a sea of clouds.
From the slopes of Teide the sun sinks into the sea of clouds: the sky turns copper and ochre in bands, and the clouds below go grey-blue.
Mount Teide, Tenerife · horizon
The horizon, where the sky is warmest: the light crosses the most air and only the reds and oranges get through.
Material: Mount Teide, Tenerife, sunset, horizon
RGB(181, 118, 58)
Mount Teide, Tenerife · just above the horizon
Just above the horizon, the brightest band of the glow.
Material: Mount Teide, Tenerife, sunset, just above the horizon
RGB(166, 126, 73)
Mount Teide, Tenerife · lower sky
The lower sky, where the warm colours start to fade.
Material: Mount Teide, Tenerife, sunset, lower sky
RGB(188, 133, 75)
Mount Teide, Tenerife · middle sky
Halfway up, where warm and cool meet.
Material: Mount Teide, Tenerife, sunset, middle sky
RGB(186, 134, 74)
Mount Teide, Tenerife · upper sky
The upper sky, already closer to the colour of the day or of the night.
Material: Mount Teide, Tenerife, sunset, upper sky
RGB(175, 134, 86)
Mount Teide, Tenerife · top of the sky
The top of the sky in the photograph.
Material: Mount Teide, Tenerife, sunset, top of the sky
RGB(156, 131, 103)
Mount Teide, Tenerife · sun
The glow around the sun, not the blinding disc itself.
Material: Mount Teide, Tenerife, sunset, sun
RGB(204, 132, 47)
Mount Teide, Tenerife · landscape
The landscape: the sea, rock or water that the light paints.
Material: Mount Teide, Tenerife, sunset, landscape
RGB(118, 121, 130)
Cap de Barbaria, Formentera
Spain · sunset
The lighthouse in the south-west of Formentera. Turespaña describes it at the end of a narrow road, silhouetted against the cliffs, as a place to watch some of “the world’s most wonderful sunsets”.
After the sun has gone: a dark wine band right on the horizon, copper above it, then a mauve grey sky over a sea that is already night-blue.
Cap de Barbaria, Formentera · horizon
The horizon, where the sky is warmest: the light crosses the most air and only the reds and oranges get through.
Material: Cap de Barbaria, Formentera, sunset, horizon
RGB(99, 68, 68)
Cap de Barbaria, Formentera · just above the horizon
Just above the horizon, the brightest band of the glow.
Material: Cap de Barbaria, Formentera, sunset, just above the horizon
RGB(167, 113, 81)
Cap de Barbaria, Formentera · lower sky
The lower sky, where the warm colours start to fade.
Material: Cap de Barbaria, Formentera, sunset, lower sky
RGB(172, 135, 108)
Cap de Barbaria, Formentera · middle sky
Halfway up, where warm and cool meet.
Material: Cap de Barbaria, Formentera, sunset, middle sky
RGB(166, 141, 126)
Cap de Barbaria, Formentera · upper sky
The upper sky, already closer to the colour of the day or of the night.
Material: Cap de Barbaria, Formentera, sunset, upper sky
RGB(155, 140, 136)
Cap de Barbaria, Formentera · top of the sky
The top of the sky in the photograph.
Material: Cap de Barbaria, Formentera, sunset, top of the sky
RGB(145, 135, 141)
Cap de Barbaria, Formentera · sun
The glow around the sun, not the blinding disc itself.
Material: Cap de Barbaria, Formentera, sunset, sun
RGB(170, 100, 77)
Cap de Barbaria, Formentera · landscape
The landscape: the sea, rock or water that the light paints.
Material: Cap de Barbaria, Formentera, sunset, landscape
RGB(65, 62, 73)
Cabo de Gata, Almería
Spain · sunset
The Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, whose mountain range is of volcanic origin; it was declared a biosphere reserve in 1997 (Turespaña).
The sun has dropped behind the volcanic hills: a pale yellow glow over the ridge, then peach and pink clouds, and a lilac sky above the black silhouette of the mountains.
Cabo de Gata, Almería · horizon
The horizon, where the sky is warmest: the light crosses the most air and only the reds and oranges get through.
Material: Cabo de Gata, Almería, sunset, horizon
RGB(243, 242, 207)
Cabo de Gata, Almería · just above the horizon
Just above the horizon, the brightest band of the glow.
Material: Cabo de Gata, Almería, sunset, just above the horizon
RGB(232, 234, 213)
Cabo de Gata, Almería · lower sky
The lower sky, where the warm colours start to fade.
Material: Cabo de Gata, Almería, sunset, lower sky
RGB(251, 228, 196)
Cabo de Gata, Almería · middle sky
Halfway up, where warm and cool meet.
Material: Cabo de Gata, Almería, sunset, middle sky
RGB(237, 209, 202)
Cabo de Gata, Almería · upper sky
The upper sky, already closer to the colour of the day or of the night.
Material: Cabo de Gata, Almería, sunset, upper sky
RGB(217, 198, 193)
Cabo de Gata, Almería · top of the sky
The top of the sky in the photograph.
Material: Cabo de Gata, Almería, sunset, top of the sky
RGB(197, 185, 189)
Cabo de Gata, Almería · sun
The glow around the sun, not the blinding disc itself.
Material: Cabo de Gata, Almería, sunset, sun
RGB(244, 243, 217)
Cabo de Gata, Almería · landscape
The landscape: the sea, rock or water that the light paints.
Material: Cabo de Gata, Almería, sunset, landscape
RGB(28, 27, 34)
Peñón de Ifach, Calp
Spain · sunrise
The great rock of Calp, a limestone mass 332 metres high joined to the land by a sandy isthmus, protected as a natural park (Turespaña).
The sun rises out of the Mediterranean beside the rock: a band of gold on the horizon, then a clean sky that turns from sage to blue.
Peñón de Ifach, Calp · horizon
The horizon, where the sky is warmest: the light crosses the most air and only the reds and oranges get through.
Material: Peñón de Ifach, Calp, sunrise, horizon
RGB(210, 166, 106)
Peñón de Ifach, Calp · just above the horizon
Just above the horizon, the brightest band of the glow.
Material: Peñón de Ifach, Calp, sunrise, just above the horizon
RGB(195, 185, 154)
Peñón de Ifach, Calp · lower sky
The lower sky, where the warm colours start to fade.
Material: Peñón de Ifach, Calp, sunrise, lower sky
RGB(168, 180, 173)
Peñón de Ifach, Calp · middle sky
Halfway up, where warm and cool meet.
Material: Peñón de Ifach, Calp, sunrise, middle sky
RGB(139, 165, 172)
Peñón de Ifach, Calp · upper sky
The upper sky, already closer to the colour of the day or of the night.
Material: Peñón de Ifach, Calp, sunrise, upper sky
RGB(115, 150, 167)
Peñón de Ifach, Calp · top of the sky
The top of the sky in the photograph.
Material: Peñón de Ifach, Calp, sunrise, top of the sky
RGB(92, 134, 157)
Peñón de Ifach, Calp · sun
The glow around the sun, not the blinding disc itself.
Material: Peñón de Ifach, Calp, sunrise, sun
RGB(254, 238, 133)
Peñón de Ifach, Calp · landscape
The landscape: the sea, rock or water that the light paints.
Material: Peñón de Ifach, Calp, sunrise, landscape
RGB(133, 138, 127)
Pigmentoria is an independent colour atlas. Each palette is our own reading of freely licensed photographs of the place, taken as inspiration; the sky changes every day, with the season, the weather and the dust in the air, so no palette is the only true one. Place and monument names are used descriptively only; no park, monument or authority has sponsored or reviewed this content.