Walls of Ávila
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 Ávila's city walls | |
| Official name | Muralla y Puertas |
| Location | Ávila, Province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain |
| Part of | "Town of Avila intra-muros" part of |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iii)(iv) |
| Reference | 348bis-001 |
| Inscription | 1985 (9th Session) |
| Extensions | 2007 |
| Coordinates | 40°39′23″N 4°42′0″W / 40.65639°N 4.70000°WCoordinates: 40°39′23″N 4°42′0″W / 40.65639°N 4.70000°W |
  Location of Walls of Ávila in Castile and León | |
The Walls of Ávila in central Spain, completed between the 11th and 14th centuries, are the city of Ávila's principal historic feature. These fortifications are the most complete in all of Spain.
Description[]
The work was started in 1090 but most of the defensive wall appears to have been rebuilt in the 12th century. The enclosed area is an irregular rectangle of 31 hectares with a perimeter of some 2,516 meters, including 88 semicircular towers. The walls have an average width of 3 metres and an average height of 12 metres. The nine gates were completed over several different periods. The Puerta de San Vicente (Gate of St Vincent) and the Puerta del Alcazar (Gate of the Fortress) are flanked by twin towers, 20 metres high, linked by a semicircular arch. The apse of the cathedral also forms one of the towers.
It is possible to walk upon the walls for roughly half the circumference. Whilst some of the walls will never be navigable in this way because of their integration into other structures, there is a large stretch of the walls that has yet to be made safe for pedestrians.
The site was registered as a National Monument in 1884.[citation needed] In 1985, the old city of Ávila and its extramural churches were declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.[1]
Gallery[]
Walls of Ávila
A view of the Walls of Ávila
Another view.
Puerta del Alcazar
Walls of Ávila.
View of the apse from the east face of the walls.
view of Walls of Ávila
References[]
- ^ "Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches", UNESCO. Retrieved 15 April 2012
External links[]
- Buildings and structures in Ávila, Spain
- City walls in Spain
- Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in the Province of Ávila