Ávila is a Spanish city, in Castille-and-León, capital of the Province of Ávila. Located at 1  182 meters of altitude, in a rock enclave on Right Bank of the Adaja, affluent of the Douro (in Spanish Duero ), it is the capital of the highest province of Spain. The commune of Ávila covers 231,9 km ² . Its gentilé is abulense or avilés .

Ávila of los Caballeros (Ávila of the knights) is an honorary title of the city. Another, Ávila del Rey (Ávila of the King), a third, Ávila of los leales (Ávila of honest).

The city has as a characteristic to be surrounded by a medieval wall, Romance style, entirely preserved.

History

Prehistory and Roman period

The name of the city comes from the various people and tribes which lived since millenia in the province. The first were the Vétons which called it Óbila (high mount); it was one of the castros ( village strengthened pre-Roman, generally located at the top of a hill or another place easy to defend of the external attacks ) most important of these people, as well as Sanchorreja, Berrueco, Mesa de Miranda, Las Cogotas, El Raso there Ulaca. Let us vétons left archaeological vestiges in the whole of the territory of the Province of Ávila, especially of the Verrat S in clay.

They were the Roman S which populated it later. They gave him the name of Abila or Abela. The Romans left them also their print in the history of the city. One can especially see it in the Casco viejo (the hurdy-gurdy city), which is surrounded by the wall. The malls, the mosaics and the Plaza Mayor (large places) also named Mercado Grande (large market) or very short El Grande , belong to the Roman vestiges that one can always admire in Ávila.

Visigoths

The first people Visigoths in the peninsula were established in a relatively narrow surface. On the list of settlements Visigoths in Spain one can quote the towns of Burgos, Soria, Guadalajara, Tolède, Ávila , Cáceres, Madrid and Palencia, which carries out to think that the choice of the places was a business of strategy. Even if the exact place were not given yet, it is known that Ávila was one of the fortified towns for the Wisigothe period. During the VI {{E}} and 7th centuries, there no was conflict concerning this city.

According to the clay shelves found on the territory of the commune of Diego Álvaro, the Visigoths reserved the use of the ground to the cereal cultures and the breeding.

Ávila at this period exploits an active role the plan religious as the documentation testifies some which quotes the participation of the prelates of Abela in the Conciles tolédains, consequence of the proximity of Tolède, capital of the Kingdom Visigoth.

Archeology

The print wisigothe is confirmed by the presence of the church of Santa María of the Antigua which was attached to a monastery. The chronicles mention that this monastery was founded before 687. It was about a double monastery (there were nuns and monks) until the arrival of Arabic. Its importance was so large that it is quoted like the place of died of Holy Léocadie, girl of the king Visigoth Wamba. The duke Severiano, noble Visigoth, would have been buried there too.

The Middle Ages

The Moslem period

At the time of the arrival of the Moors, there no was resistance on behalf of the inhabitants of the city nor of repressive measurements on behalf of the invaders. The daily relationship between the two cultures was what there is of more normal; the Christian community could keep its habits, its churches and its culture; even sometimes the population was seen released of the impositions of the nobility and the clergy Visigoths. However, the Moslem excluded the not-Moslems from the capacity.

Under the Moslem domination, the city became a strategic point, always coveted by the Moslems and the Christians, because it represented a fortified town in their defense system; the confrontation was constant. The Christian armies occupied several times the transitory city always of way. Alphonse Ier and its son Fruela carried out several forwardings; they managed to take the town of 740 with 742. Their goal was not there to remain but to destroy defenses, to recover spoils of them and at the same time, profiting that the Christian inhabitants of the city followed the king during the evacuation of the city, to find new inhabitants for the repopulation and the defense of the Christian kingdoms.

After the incursions of the Christian kings, Ávila lived three centuries for which the historians do not have documentation. The destruction of the cultures and the cities themselves, the evacuation of their Christian population towards North, left practically depopulated Ávila, like other cities of Meseta (the Castilian Plate). Á to leave VIIIe century, these cities and areas of Castille became the " what is called; Desert stratégique" , it was a No man' S Land, the perfect scene for the confrontations of a camp against the other.

Reconquista

At the 11th century Raymond of Burgundy, from its marriage with Urraque, therefore son-in-law of Alphonse VI of Castille, was in charge of the repopulation of the center with the peninsula and, in the aim of protection Tolède appear walls around the towns of Salamanque, Ávila and Segovia. Later, repopulation extends more and more towards the south, with the result that Avila loses importance on the chess-board of Reconquista, even if the city had voice and right to vote within the Cortes de Castille.

With the Early middle ages, the city and its province thrive enormously; she sees being born from many religious characters, spiritual writers and advisers such as Teresa de Cepeda there Ahumada (holy Therese d' Avila).

It is as from 17th century that the city enters during one time of long decline and depopulation which at one time saw Ávila inhabited by only 4000 hearts.

The rising of the comuneros

During the civil war Castilian (1520), the city was the stronghold of the partisans of Infant Alonso. Its council was one of the principal organizers of the wars of the communities. It is there that first Junta of Comuneros was formed.

Art

The city is considered " historic building and artistic national" since 1884; it is also registered on the Liste of the world heritage of UNESCO since 1985. Its principal monument is imposing the Muraille of Ávila (ss.XI-XIV), of more than 2500  m length, 9 main doors and 88 turns.

Of its religious architecture, it is necessary to underline the cathedral (s.XII-XV), the Romance churches of San Vicente (ss.XII-XIV) and San Pedro or the Monastère of Santo Tomás (s.XV, residence of summer of the Kings Catholiques).

And to finish, on the level of civil architecture, the palacio of Valderrábanos - palate of Valderrábanos- (s.XV), the put los Deanes - house with the seniors (s.XVI), the Torreón of los Guzmanes - Keep of Guzmán- and the palacio of los Verdugo - palate of Verdugo- (ss.XV-XVI) are the most important monuments.

Famous characters

Avila is also the birthplace of characters like:

Twinnings

External bonds

  • Site of the Town hall of Ávila
  • Diputación (Provincial government) of Ávila
  • Tourism of Ávila
  • the '' numerical Journal '' of Ávila
  • avilared.com
  • Photographs of Ávila
  • Óbila Club of Tennis shoe

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