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Avila
Tourist information - Avila
Avila, a World Heritage Site, rises under the shelter of the Gredos Sierra. Behind the walls of this capital of Castile-León, a priceless compound is concealed, made up of Renaissance churches and palaces: a silent witness to the bygone splendour of the city when it was a textile power.
Being the birthplace of Santa Teresa de Jesús, the city has a number of religious buildings inside and outside the walled enclosure related to the life of the mystic.
Excellent roasts and the famous veal T-bone steak are only a few of the dishes that make up the amazing cuisine of this province, without playing down the wonderful cakes and pastries, specially the renowned "yemas de Santa Teresa" (a sweet made with egg yolk and sugar.
The extensive history of Avila begins with the primitive Celtiberian settlement of the Vetones around 700 B.C. The first wall was built with the arrival of the Romans in the third century B.C., making Avila a strategic point of defence. Following several centuries of decadence, the city was repopulated and rebuilt in the 11th century. The legend says that Raimundo de Borgona, son-in-law of King Alfonso VI, was in charge of supervising the reconstruction of the wall over the ruins of the ancient Roman fortress. The peak period of the city would come in the 16th century, when wool manufacture would allow its economic take-off. During this boom, many civil and religious buildings were built in the city, which still stand in the historic quarter.
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