AVILA

Avila (50.000 inhabitants), one of the jewels of medieval Spain, is situated on high hills northwest of Madrid, the city is the highest capital in Spain at 1,128 meters above sea level. Set on a high plain, with the peaks of the Sierra de Guadarrama and Sierra de Gredos beyond, on the right side of the river Adaja affluent of Duero river. Founded in 11th century in order protect the Spanish territories from the Arabs, Avila is famous for its nearly intact town-walls and also because it was native land of one of the greatest saints of the Catholicism, Saint Teresa of Ávila, and of Great Inquisitor Torquemada. The old city of Ávila with its Extra churches is part since 1985 of the Unesco list of World Heritage Sites.

Avila main attractions: The imposing fortifications of Avila (11th-14th century) represent the town-walls better conserved of all Spain. The wall, of quadrangular shape, extends for beyond 2,5 km of length, 12 meters of height, 3 meters of thickness, with 88 semicircular towers and 9 gates of access (Puerta del Alcázar, del Peso de la Harina, de San Vicente, del Mariscal, del Carmen, del Adaja, de la Malaventura, de la Santa and del Rastro). The vision the city with its walls is a show to observe whether by day that by night the better point for a complete vision is from the lookout of Cuatro Postes, along the road for Salamanca.  

But the attractions of Avila are not only represented from its town-walls, the itinerary of visit can leave from the Puerta del Alcazar from which is reached the Romanesque/Gothic Cathedral of Saint Salvador (12th-14th century) a massive building to three aisles, where the Romanesque apse is inside the fortifications and is a tower of the town-walls with merlons; to see: the baroque portal of the western facade and on the left side the Portal of the Apostles (14th century); the Capilla Mayor with a remarkable altar-piece with scenes of the life of Christ; the Capitular Museum (with a painting of El Greco) and the Gothic Cloister (14th century). Beside the Puerta de la Santa is the Convent of Saint Teresa (17th century), risen on the place where was the house of Saint Teresa, with the annexed Museum de Recuerdos Teresianos.  

On the central arcades Plaza Mayor rises the church of San Juan (end of 15th century), christening font of the saint Teresa, and the gothic Iglesia de Mosén Rubí. Between the civil buildings, inside the wall are the Palacio Episcopal (17th century), the House of conde de Oñade (15th century) with a embattled tower, the House de Superunda and the House de los Almarza both of 16th century and the Palacio de los Velada with a patio to three plans of galleries, the Palacio de las Aguilas, the House of Deanes (16th century), that one of the Dávila, the Palacio de Valderrábanos (15th century), the Palacio de los Verdugo (15th-16th century) and above all that one of the Guzmanes, with the most beautiful tower of the city, the Torreón de los Guzmanes.  

Between the religious architecture outside the walls are found, on the east side of the city: the church of San Pedro (11th-14th century) is considered one of the best examples of Romanesque Castilian, its facade introduces a beautiful rose-window, inside is a christening font of 12th century; while the basilica of San Vicente (11th-14th century) represents a milestone of the passage towards the gothic, the church has a beautiful portal and a gothic porch, while in the inside to three aisles there are the funeral monuments of San Vincente and the sisters (12th century); the monastery de Santo Tomás (15th century) summery residence of the Catholic King, has a gothic church with the marble tombs of prince Juan the son of Ferdinand and Isabella, work of D. Fancelli of 1502, interesting are also the cloisters: the Claustro de los Novicios (15th century), the Claustro of the Silencio, and renaissance cloister de los Reyes. To the periphery of the city is found the Monastery de Encarnacion (1499) where Saint Teresa pronunced her vows and lived for 28 years.  

In the outskirtses of Avila is possible to visit the Sierra de Gredos (winter sports, hunting, fishing, mountaineering) that reaches the maximum height with the Almanzor mount (2590 meters). The main center of the zone is Arenas de Saint Pedro where are to visiting a gothic church, a castle and a convent. On the road that goes to Toledo is San Martin de Valdeiglesisa with a castle of 15th century and the so-called Toros de Guisando, stone bulls perhaps of roman age (3th century B.C.).