Ávila

Avila lies at the foothills of Gredos Sierra mountain ranges. Most part of the city was built inside a huge city wall, which dates back to the medieval period. The walls are made of granite stone. The wall consists of 88 towers with a total of six gates and three openings. Inside the walls important monuments dating back to 12-14th centuries can be found. Churches of San Vicente, Gothic Monasteries and The Cathedral of Avila are some of the fine pieces of architecture that provide evidence of the many cultures and civilizations that once inhabited this city. Part of city also extends beyond the city walls. Every year large number of tourists comes here to witness this historic city lying beyond the majestic and magnificent walls.

Places of Attraction

The City Wall

As already mentioned the most part of the city of Avila lies inside this wall. This part of the city is mainly called the old city because of its rich cultural heritage. The construction of this wall began at about 1090 and with many renovations and reconstructions, continued up to the 12th century. It is made of brown granite rocks. The wall runs around the city and has a perimeter of 2516 m and height of 20m. There are 88 towers and 9 gates in this wall. The gateways are majestic and beautiful especially the gateways of the eastern side called the Puerto de Alcazar, Gate of Leales and Puerto de San Vicente are worth noticing.

The Cathedral of Avila

This is the church in Avila located inside the city walls. The architecture of this cathedral resembles a fort. The Leales gate which is one of the 6 gates of the city wall, leads to this cathedral directly. The architecture of the place contains a mix of the Baroque and the Gothic style. However, the origin or the period of construction of the cathedral is not properly known and different conceptions are built.

Plaza de Santa Teresa

It is one of the many convents located in the city. The convent represents the birth place of Santa Teresa del Jesús who was a well known writer. The architecture of the building is in Baroque style. Sculptures and carvings of Gregorio Fernández can also be seen here, in this convent.

Other than this, the other important convents located in the city are the Convent of Santo Thomas and the Convent of Las Madres.
Monastery of Encarnación

This monastery is located outside the city walls and its history goes back to 16th century. It was once the living place of the famous writer Santa Teresa. She lived here as a nun. The cell in which she lived can still be seen here.

Church of San Pedro

It is one of the oldest churches of Avila and is located outside the city walls. It was built around the 13th century. Beautiful paintings and carvings can be seen inside the church.