Video surveillance in Spain

Video monitoring of public places is not the main way to fight the terrorism in Spain. Generally cameras are installed only in major, non-commercial sights, relatively small amount of cameras can be seen in the streets and company buildings. Cameras for traffic monitoring can be spotted on highways and at the entrances to big cities.

Spanish parliament is one of the best-guarded building complexes in Spain. Guards are armed with machine guns (!). Cameras which secure this building are equipped with double high-power IR illuminators, despite the fact that the street is well illuminated at night.

The symbol of Madrid is the bear eating mulberries directly from the tree. It stands on Puerto del Sol square, the same where is situated city town hall. Group of cameras with IR lamps is one of numerous means securing this square.

Kings Palace - Palacio Real. After fire in 1774 that small mansion has been thoroughly rebuilt and it became residence of Spanish rulers - the Bourbons, from who comes the present king. Juan Carlos doesn't live in this palace, however it's still the place where main government ceremonies are organized. Therefore cameras have been installed between surrounding floodlights.

Madrid Station - Estacion de Atocha, established in 1888-1892, hundred years later they opened palm house inside the lounge, that made this spot another tourist showplace. The cameras mainly protect the safety of travelers.

On the Gran Via - elegant street of Madrid, there is European Gate created by two tower blocks of bold structure. Highways and main streets are kept safe by cameras placed on high, around 15m, masts. They can be remotely controlled.

Sagrada Familia church, planned to be neo-Gothic district church, became the most unconventional church in Europe, after Gaudi took the control over construction of the the building. Less known view is the west facade - the Passion. Designed by Subirachs, was made at the end of 80's and is still arousing controversy. Building process of the complex is continued; the cameras placed on poles and easy to be noticed protect rock sculptures from possible devastation by heavy tourist traffic.

Olympic Stadium in Barcelona was the place of opening and closing ceremony of the Olympics in 1992. Beside facade of 1929 the rest of the stadium has been thoroughly rebuilt before the Olympic Games. There has also been built Olympic torch. The whole stadium is full of rotational cameras used for monitoring the public and sport facilities.

The biggest stadium in Barcelona is Camp Nou, holding even 120,000 spectators. On this stadium Poland was beaten by Spain and winning only silver Olympic medal. FC Barcelona museum belongs to the most popular in the city. The soccer fans can see here, among other things, what shoes were used to play in the past. Not only the museum but also the approach to it is secured by set of rotational cameras placed on poles.

Saint Eulalie Cathedral in Barcelona was built on the ruins of Roman temple, Visighotic church and Muslim mosque, what symbolically shows history of Spain. Building process was initiated in 1298, however the facade was finished only in XIX century. It is in the immediate vicinity of the residence of Catalan government, and the cameras placed on that building cover the church, too. The surveillance system is equipped with Siemens devices.

Kings Palace in Seville was primarily built in XII century, and despite many rebuilds its Arabic style has been retained. The upper floor is still the residence of the king during his visits in the city. It's no wonder that the palace is secured by monitoring system, among other things, by cameras installed on the garden side (gardens probably nicer than the famous ones in Alhambra).

Cadiz - city founded by Phoenicians in 1100 BC. When in 1812 Cortes legislated here first national constitution it became, for a while, capital of Spain. Baroque cathedral from XVIII century is under destructive influence of marine climate. Sandstone, from which are made some parts of this building, look like a sieve. The street going to the cathedral is watched by cameras installed on long arms placed on roofs.

Alhambra, the residence of Grenadian rulers, was built in XIV century. Arabs wished to create here a heaven on earth. Nowadays, security of one of the most famous European monuments is guarded by Philips cameras.