Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California, was designed by female architect Julia Morgan. In 1919, she was hired by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst to design a main building and guest houses for his ranch, but she ended up purchasing everything from Spanish antiquities to Icelandic moss to reindeer for the Castle’s zoo, which was once the world’s largest private zoo.
100 Mind-Blowing Spanish Facts
The Eiffel Tower was originally intended for Barcelona. The Spanish city thought the design was too ugly, so Gustave Eiffel pitched it to Paris instead, as a temporary landmark during its 1889 International Exposition. French critics didn’t like it much either though.
The Spanish national anthem has no words. The ‘Marcha Real’ is one of only four national anthems in the world (along with those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and San Marino) to have no official lyrics.
The Eiffel Tower was originally intended for Barcelona. The Spanish city thought it was too ugly, so Gustave Eiffel pitched it to Paris instead. French critics weren’t too thrilled either, but it’s one of the most famous landmarks in the world today.
The directors of the film Despicable Me wrote their language for the Minions. It may sound like total gibberish, but the famed (or infamous) Minions of the Despicable Me franchise speak an actual language. The directors combined Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Filipino (Tagalog), French and Russian to create Minionese.
The Canary Islands are named after dogs, not birds. One of the fun facts you wouldn’t think about: The Canary Islands aren’t named after canary birds! The location was named after dogs. Despite being off the coast of Northwestern Africa, the archipelago is part of Spain. The area’s Spanish name is Islas Canarias. This name is rooted in the Latin phrase Canariae Insulae, or “island of dogs.”
The Spanish word for wife is ‘esposa’. The plural is esposas which translates to wives. However, it may also translate to handcuffs.
Disneyland serves 2.8 million churros a year. The churro was introduced to South America in the 1500s during the Spanish Inquisition. Around the same time, the Spanish brought cocoa to Europe, which they thickened with cane sugar to make hot chocolate. That probably explains why churros and hot chocolate are still a go-to pairing to this day.
Fritos means “little fried things.” The name for Fritos Potato Chips comes from the Spanish word fritas, which means “little fried things.” We love a name that’s straight to the point.
Peyton List is multilingual. In addition to English, she is fluent in Spanish and has showcased her language skills in various projects.
The Spanish national anthem has no words. The “Marcha Real” is one of only four national anthems in the world (along with those of Bosnia, Herzegovina, Kosovo, and San Marino) to have no official lyrics.
The Eiffel Tower was supposed to be in Barcelona. When Gustave Eiffel’s design was rejected by the Spanish city for being too ugly, he pitched it to France. The locals weren’t in love with it either, but tourists from around the world flock to Paris to see it!
M&M are one of the most beloved candies in the world. But, unknown to many, the Ms stand for Mars and Murrie, the two men who developed the candy. Rations given to soldiers during the Spanish-American War inspired this candy. Traditional chocolate bars would melt before soldiers could eat them. The candy coating ensured soldiers could enjoy their chocolates in the field.
Spanish is the second most common language spoken in the US.
The Dollar Sign Was First Used in 1785: Here’s another fun money fact: The official adoption of the dollar sign in the U.S. can be traced back to 1785, when it evolved from the Spanish symbol for pesos. It’s believed the $ originated from the abbreviation PS, which was used to indicate Spanish pesos in the Americas. Gradually the “S” came to be written over the “P,” eventually morphing into the dollar sign we know today.
The original two currencies of America were the Sterling Pound and the Spanish Dollar. The first type of US currency to ever be issued was a mere $2,000,000. It was issued in 1775 by the Continental Congress. Every new issue of this currency steadily devalued it against the Sterling Pound and the Spanish Dollar.
The $ symbol is derived from the Spanish dollar sign. In 1782, the US considered choosing the Spanish peso as the country’s currency. The abbreviation for the Spanish peso (PS) later transformed into a $.