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==Main sights==
==Main sights==
[[Image:Ávila Chatedral main view.jpg|thumb|150px|left|[[Cathedral of Ávila]], built between the XI and XV centuries.]]
Ávila is most known for the medieval [[city walls]]<ref>[http://www.travelinginspain.com/Avila.htm Avila] World Heritage Sites in Spain at travelinginspain.com.</ref>, that were constructed of brown [[granite]] in 1090: surmounted by a [[Breastwork (fortification)|breastwork]], with eighty-eight [[tower]]s and nine [[gate]]ways, they are still in excellent repair, but a large part of the city lies beyond their perimeter.
Ávila is most known for the medieval [[city walls]]<ref>[http://www.travelinginspain.com/Avila.htm Avila] World Heritage Sites in Spain at travelinginspain.com.</ref>, that were constructed of brown [[granite]] in 1090: surmounted by a [[Breastwork (fortification)|breastwork]], with eighty-eight [[tower]]s and nine [[gate]]ways, they are still in excellent repair, but a large part of the city lies beyond their perimeter.


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The Santa Teresa yolks are sweet typical of the city, manufactured in the traditional pastry "La Flor de Castilla". The rest of bakeries in the city but also manufactured under the name "Egg of Avila," or simply "buds", is produced as the name suggests from the yolk.
The Santa Teresa yolks are sweet typical of the city, manufactured in the traditional pastry "La Flor de Castilla". The rest of bakeries in the city but also manufactured under the name "Egg of Avila," or simply "buds", is produced as the name suggests from the yolk.


[[Image:Avila Torreon de los Gusmanes.jpg|160px|thumb|left|Torreón de los Guzmanes.]]
{{Infobox World Heritage Site
{{Infobox World Heritage Site
| WHS = Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches
| WHS = Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches
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* {{flagicon|France}} [[Rueil-Malmaison]], [[France]]
* {{flagicon|France}} [[Rueil-Malmaison]], [[France]]
* {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Teramo]], [[Italy]]
* {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Teramo]], [[Italy]]
</br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br></br>


==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:Murallas de Ávila.jpg|Complete view of the Walls of Ávila.
Image:Ávila. Murallas 2.JPG|Other view of a part of the walls.
Image:Avila_Spain_345.JPG|Northwest side of the Walls of Ávila.
Image:Avila nevada.JPG|Ávila on winter (2005 february)
Image:Ávila. Catedral 1.JPG|[[Cathedral of Ávila]] as seen from Tomás Luis de Victoria street.
Image:Catedral de Ávila, portada norte, detalle.JPG|View of northern facade of the [[Cathedral of Ávila]].
Image:Cimorro Catedral Ávila.jpg|Apse of the [[Cathedral of Ávila]].
Image:Ávila. Basílica de los Santos Hermanos Mártires, Vicente, Sabina y Cristeta 1.JPG|Basílica de San Vicente (western facade), built between the XII and XIV centuries.
Image:Basílica de los Santos Hermanos Mártires-9.JPG|Basílica de San Vicente.
Image:Avila Convento de Sta Theresa01.jpg|Convento de Santa Teresa.
Image:plaza mayor avila.jpg|La Plaza de Santa Teresa, both with the San Pedro Church.
Image:SANTA TERESA.jpg|Santa Teresa´s feast day (2007).
Image:Ávila. Monasterio de Santo Tomás 7.JPG|Monasterio de Santo Tomás.
Image:Avila San Pedro View.jpg|San Pedro Church, founded in the year 1100.
Image:El Real Monasterio de Santo Tomas-1.jpg|Real Monasterio de Santo Tomas.
Image:Ermitadesonsoles.jpg|Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Sonsoles.
Image:Cuatro postes avila.jpg|Roman monument know as «Los Cuatro Postes»
Image:restos romanos avila.jpg|Roman ruines.
Image:CILII3865.JPG|Inscription dedicated to ''G. Antonius daugeti filius'' in the wall of the city.
Image:Ávila. Plaza del Mercado Chico.JPG|Plaza del Mercado Chico, a [[Middle Ages|medieval market]].
Image:Universidadcatolica-.jpg|Principal building of Catholic University of Ávila.
Image:Ávila Ayuntamiento.JPG|Ayuntamiento.
Image:El Soto.jpg|Jardín de El Soto.
</gallery>
==See also==
==See also==
*[[List of people from Ávila, Spain]]
*[[List of people from Ávila, Spain]]

Revision as of 08:43, 16 September 2010

This article is about the Spanish city. For other uses, see Ávila.
Ávila
Ávila de los Caballeros
Ávila del Rey
Ávila de los leales
Ávila with its famous city walls, as seen from a distance
Ávila with its famous city walls, as seen from a distance
Flag of Ávila
Flag
Official seal of Ávila
Seal
Motto(s): 
[Una ciudad para todos...] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)
(Spanish for "A city for everyone...")
CountrySpain
Autonomous CommunityCastile and León
ProvinceÁvila
Government
 • MayorMiguel Ángel García Nieto (PP)
Area
 • Land231.9 km2 (89.5 sq mi)
Elevation
1,182 m (3,665 ft)
Population
 (2009)
 • Total59,272
 • Density226.87/km2 (587.6/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
05001 - 05006
Area code34 (Spain) + 920 (Ávila)
Websitehttp://www.avila.es Template:Es icon

Ávila, sometimes called Ávila de los Caballeros or Ávila del Rey (Latin: Abila and Óbila) is the capital of the province of the same name, now part of the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain.

Geography

The city is 1131 meters (3665 feet) above sea level, the highest provincial capital in Spain. It is built on the flat summit of a rocky hill, which rises abruptly in the midst of a veritable wilderness: a brown, arid, treeless table-land, strewn with immense grey boulders, and shut in by lofty mountains. This results in an extreme climate, with very hard and long winters, and short summers.

History

Alcázar's gate

In pre-Roman times (5th century BC), it was inhabited by the Vettones, who called it Obila ("High Mountain") and had here one of their strongest fortresses.

Ávila may have been the ancient town known as Abula, mentioned by Ptolemy in his Geographia (II 6, 60) as being located in the Iberian region of Bastetania.[1] Abula is mentioned as one of the first cities in Hispania that was Christianized, specifically by Saint Secundus (San Segundo).[1] However, Abula may have been the town of Abla.[1] After the conquest by the Romans, it was called Abila or Abela. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Ávila was a stronghold of the Visigoths. Conquered by the Arabs (who called it Ābila, آبلة), it was repeatedly attacked by the northern Iberian Christian kingdoms, after which it remained virtually uninhabited. It was repopulated in the 11th century, after the definitive capture of the area by the Christians, under Raymond of Burgundy.

The city lived a period of prosperity under the Catholic Kings (early 16th century) and their successors Charles V and Philip II of Spain, but decayed again starting from the 18th century, when it reduced to just 4,000 inhabitants.

Main sights

Cathedral of Ávila, built between the XI and XV centuries.

Ávila is most known for the medieval city walls[2], that were constructed of brown granite in 1090: surmounted by a breastwork, with eighty-eight towers and nine gateways, they are still in excellent repair, but a large part of the city lies beyond their perimeter.

The Gothic cathedral is integrated into the city's defences. It was built between the 12th and 14th centuries, and has the appearance of a fortress, with embattled walls and two solid towers. It contains many interesting sculptures and paintings, besides one especially fine silver pyx, the work of Juán de Arfe, dating from 1571.

The churches of San Vicente, San Pedro and San Segundo are, in their main features, Romanesque of the 12th century. The Don Diego del Águila date to the 16th century.

In the Gothic Monastery of Santo Tomás, erected by the Catholic Queen Isabella in 1482, is especially noteworthy the marble monument, carved by the 15th-century Florentine sculptor Domenico Fancelli, over the tomb of Prince John, the only son of Ferdinand and Isabella.

Food

Santa Teresa yolks.

Typical food in Ávila includes roast lamb, suckling pig, and veal steak. Ávila is also famous for its yemas de Santa Teresa - egg yolk candies named after the patron saint.

Characteristic dishes include Beans Avila del Barco, Avila-bone steak, potatoes and yolks revolconas St. Teresa. Also worth mentioning hornazo, bread roll stuffed with sausage, bacon, tenderloin and eggs, veal sweetbreads or suckling pig, cuchifrito in the capital and baked in Arevalo.

The Santa Teresa yolks are sweet typical of the city, manufactured in the traditional pastry "La Flor de Castilla". The rest of bakeries in the city but also manufactured under the name "Egg of Avila," or simply "buds", is produced as the name suggests from the yolk.

Torreón de los Guzmanes.
Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Ávila city walls.
CriteriaCultural: iii, iv
Reference348
Inscription1985 (9th Session)

Town twinning





















  • Complete view of the Walls of Ávila.
    Complete view of the Walls of Ávila.
  • Other view of a part of the walls.
    Other view of a part of the walls.
  • Northwest side of the Walls of Ávila.
    Northwest side of the Walls of Ávila.
  • Ávila on winter (2005 february)
    Ávila on winter (2005 february)
  • Cathedral of Ávila as seen from Tomás Luis de Victoria street.
    Cathedral of Ávila as seen from Tomás Luis de Victoria street.
  • View of northern facade of the Cathedral of Ávila.
    View of northern facade of the Cathedral of Ávila.
  • Apse of the Cathedral of Ávila.
    Apse of the Cathedral of Ávila.
  • Basílica de San Vicente (western facade), built between the XII and XIV centuries.
    Basílica de San Vicente (western facade), built between the XII and XIV centuries.
  • Basílica de San Vicente.
    Basílica de San Vicente.
  • Convento de Santa Teresa.
    Convento de Santa Teresa.
  • La Plaza de Santa Teresa, both with the San Pedro Church.
    La Plaza de Santa Teresa, both with the San Pedro Church.
  • Santa Teresa´s feast day (2007).
    Santa Teresa´s feast day (2007).
  • Monasterio de Santo Tomás.
    Monasterio de Santo Tomás.
  • San Pedro Church, founded in the year 1100.
    San Pedro Church, founded in the year 1100.
  • Real Monasterio de Santo Tomas.
    Real Monasterio de Santo Tomas.
  • Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Sonsoles.
    Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Sonsoles.
  • Roman monument know as «Los Cuatro Postes»
    Roman monument know as «Los Cuatro Postes»
  • Roman ruines.
    Roman ruines.
  • Inscription dedicated to G. Antonius daugeti filius in the wall of the city.
    Inscription dedicated to G. Antonius daugeti filius in the wall of the city.
  • Plaza del Mercado Chico, a medieval market.
    Plaza del Mercado Chico, a medieval market.
  • Principal building of Catholic University of Ávila.
    Principal building of Catholic University of Ávila.
  • Ayuntamiento.
    Ayuntamiento.
  • Jardín de El Soto.
    Jardín de El Soto.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Avitiano (December 23, 2008). "Abulenses". Centro de estudios abulenses. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
  2. ^ Avila World Heritage Sites in Spain at travelinginspain.com.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ávila.
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Ávila (city)".
Wikisource has the text of the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article Avila.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ávila&oldid=385136166"