Avila Attractions
Ávila, chief town of the province of that name in Old Castile and the see of a bishop, is situated on a ridge of high ground, falling steeply down on three sides, in a treeless plateau watered by the Río Adaja.
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Town Walls
The town walls of Avila have been built with the stones of old Roman buildings. The most intriguing features of the walls are the 88 towers which all stand 20 m apart.
Townscape
Ávila's wealth of medieval buildings (particularly its well preserved Romanesque churches and Gothic palaces) and the ancient walls which still enclose the heart of the old town make it one of the most interesting cities in Spain. As the birthplace of Spain's national saint, Terese of Ávila, it is also a much frequented pilgrimage center.
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Basílica de San Vicente
This 12th to 14th C church was built on the spot where it is believed San Vicente and his sisters were martyred at in the year 300.
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Cathedral
The most important building in Ávila is the huge, 11th C Cathedral of San Salvador. It is made of granite and the apse is a part of the town walls.
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Monasterio de Santo Tomás
The late 15th C Monasterio de Santo Tomás was used as a summer residence by Catholic Monarchs.
San Pedro
Dominating the east side of Plaza de Santa Teresa is the church of San Pedro with its large rose window. This aisled church with a plain but impressive west doorway was built in the 12th and 13th Centuries. The most notable items in the interior are a painting by Morán ("St Peter in Chains", 1673) in the north aisle and the high altar by Juan de Borgoña.
Capilla de Mosén Rubí de Bracamonte
To the north of the Plaza Mayor, between the Puerta del Carmen and the Puerta de San Vicente, is a less crowded part of the old town. Here in 1516 Mosén Rubí, a converted Jew belonging to a noble family of Ávila, built a burial chapel for his aunt María Herrera and her husband. The alabaster tomb was carved by Vázquez Dávila. The chapel, which now belongs to a Dominican nunnery, contains a 17th century polychrome figure of Christ, the Cristo de las Batallas.
Casa de Núñez Vela
Diagonally opposite the Convento de Santa Teresa is another noble mansion, the Casa de Núñez Vela, built in 1540 for Blasco Núñez Vela, first Viceroy of Peru. It is now occupied by legal offices; the beautiful inner courtyard can be seen during office hours.
Casa de los Aguila
Opposite the Capilla de Mosén Rubí de Bracamonte is the Casa de los Aguila, a 16th century noble mansion.
Casa de los Deanes (Museo Provincial)
The 16th century Casa de los Deanes (Deanery), a two-story building, stands to the south of San Vicente in Plaza Naivillos. It now houses the Provincial Museum, which displays in three rooms a collection of sacred sculpture from the Romanesque period to the Renaissance, tapestries, a triptych attributed to Hans Memling, pictures, weapons and ceramics.
Casa de los Dávila
Built against the town walls a little way east of the convent, beyond Plaza General Mola, is one of Ávila's many noble mansions, the huge Casa de los Dávila (13th-15th C.).
Casa de los Polentinos
Northwest of the Convento de Santa Teresa is yet another mansion, the Casa de los Polentinos, now occupied by the military authorities.
Casa de los Verdugos
In Calle López Núñez, which runs northeast to the Puerta de San Vicente, is the fortress-like Casa de los Verdugos, with four corner towers. The doorway is decorated with the girdle of the Franciscan order.
Cueva del Aguila
Location: Province of Ávila; about 60km/37mi southwest of Ávila, 6km/4mi southwest of Arenas de San Pedro. Features: Numerous sinter formations of all kinds; only one large chamber (18,900 sq.m/22,600 sq.yd) open to the public.
Jewish Quarter
The Jewish community of Ávila lived in two areas within the walls, in the northeast corner of the town, round the Puerta de San Vicente, and in the southwest corner, between the Puerta de la Mala Dicha and the Puerta del Puente.
Nuestra Señora de Gracia
Under the southeast corner of the town walls is the Convento de Nuestra Señora de Gracia, in which the future St Teresa was brought up.
Plaza Mayor
The central feature of the old town of Ávila is the Plaza de la Victoria or Plaza Mayor, a small enclosed square to the west of the cathedral, surrounded by arcades which now house shops and bars. On the north side is the handsome Town Hall, on the south side the church of San Juan, with the font at which Santa Teresa was baptized. The church has balconies from which the nobles of the town once watched bullfights in the square. Around the square are Ávila's main shopping streets, and to the northeast, towards the cathedral, is the two story market hall.
Plaza de Santa Teresa
Just outside the Puerta del Alcázar is the spacious Plaza de Santa Teresa, another important shopping area, with many cafes. Not to be missed is the El Grande cafe with its wide range of tapas and drinks of all kinds.
Plaza de la Catedral
At the northwest corner of the Plaza de la Catedral is the large palace of the Velada family, now a restaurant. Opposite the north doorway is the former Bishop's Palace (Palacio Episcopal), now occupied by the Post Office. Another old noble mansion, the Casa de Valderrábanos (15th C.), in the part of the square outside the west front, is now a hotel.
San José
Farther east from the Provincial Museum is the convent of San José or Las Madres, the first house founded by Santa Teresa (1562). It contains a fine retablo by Alonso Cano.
San Segundo
This little 12th century church on the Río Adaja, below the south side of the town walls, contains the tomb (by Juan de Juni, 1573) of St Secundus, first bishop of Ávila.
Santo Tomé
Immediately adjoining the Provincial Museum is the little 12th century church of San Tomé, now a lapidarium.
Torreón de los Guzmanes
The most striking feature of the palace of the Guzmán and Oñate families, which was built on to the convent in the 16th century, is the massive battlemented tower.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 |
| Open | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 |
| Close | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 |
