Avila City
Ávila is one of the oldest of all the cities in Castilla y León. The Celtic Iberians were the first to leave their mark, which can be seen in the stone boars and the nearby Castro de las Cogotas (hill fort), epicentre of the Vettone culture. The Romans also reached this area and the Arabs filled the area with their culture until the final conquest by the Christians.
Proud of its perfect combination of old and new, the city of the river Adaja invites visitors to take a look inside the city from the tops of the crenellations that have protected the city walls for centuries. However, only some sections of the walls are prepared for visitors wishing to see the excellent views of the city from above.
It is exactly this stone ridge that has made the city internationally famous, attracting tourists from all over the world who have come to follow the trail of Santa Teresa and explore a millenary city at the dawn of the 21st century.
As old as Nôtre Dame
The eastern wall section is the most striking. Beyond it, the
bulk of the city found outside the walls lies. According to the
chronicles there seems to be doubt as to when construction began.
However, documents exist that prove that the Frenchman Florín
de Pituenga and the Roman Casandro were responsible for its geometry.
The exact date as to when the first stone of this universal feat
of engineering was laid, remains unknown. However some chroniclers
believe that it dates back to the 11th century, taking 9 years
to construct. 1900 people, mostly Muslims in captivity, helped
construct this amazing piece of engineering. Consequently, in
spite of it being classified as Romanesque, it contains remarkable
Moresque features.
The contemporany construction of the Wall of Defence coinciding with that of the Nôtre Dame Cathedral was an important factor in the city's development. For almost a millennium it was a means of protection for the city and a way of inspecting trade exchanges. The 2.5 km rectangular walls ( the equivalent of a 1-hour walk) contain nine gateways and over 2,000 crenellations keep watch over Ávila's horizon as in past times. The Puerta del Alcázar and the gateway next to the Basílica de San Vicente are a must for every visitor.