Ávila

by Robert Bovington

Ávila is the highest city in Spain. It is 3,715 feet above sea level and is situated on a plateau that is surrounded by even loftier mountains. It is a good place to visit but not to live because, whilst the city is rather spectacular and is a notable tourist centre, it has long cold winters and short summers. The surrounding neighbourhood is not too attractive either. It is an arid, treeless plain strewn with immense grey boulders, which, I suppose, came in useful when the walls of the city were built.

La Universidad Católica de Ávila © Robert Bovington

 Ávila is old. It is one of the oldest of all the cities in Castilla y León. Celtic Iberians, Romans, Muslims and Christians have all left their mark on this fine city.

Las Murallas - the walls - are magnificent and encompass the whole of ancient Ávila. Building started at the end of 11th century and they are 2.5 kilometres long, 14 metres high and around 3 metres thick. They are still in pretty good nick. Alfonso VI ordered their construction after his conquest of Avila in 1090. Moorish prisoners were allegedly employed to build the wall. I don't suppose they were paid though! There are eighty-eight towers and nine gates that include the imposing Puerta del Alcázar and the Puerta de Rastro. Visitors can walk along the walls between these two points. The walls are beautifully illuminated at night.

The modern part of the city lies outside the walls. Within the old city are many fine buildings including churches and the 12th-century Gothic cathedral. Ávila Cathedral was planned as a cathedral-fortress - its apse is actually part of one of the turrets of the city walls. Construction started in 1095 shortly after the Reconquest. The earliest parts were in the Romanesque style and built like a fortress with battlements and sentry walks incorporated into the structure. Most of the cathedral was built between the 12th and 14th centuries and the building is, therefore, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic. It is credited with having introduced Spain to Gothic architecture. The Cathedral Museum has a display of religious art including an El Greco - the "Portrait of Garcibáñez de Múxica". 

Ávila photo: Robert Bovington

There are quite a few religious buildings in Ávila but, then, there have been a number of religious residents. These include the 4th-century theologian Priscillian who was the first Christian to be executed for heresy and the notorious Friar Tomás Torquemada who was Spain's first Grand Inquisitor and the zealous leader of the witch-hunts of the 15th century. Another resident was San Juan de la Santa Cruz who was a reformer of the Carmelite Order. 

Santa Teresa de Ávila

Saint Teresa of Ávila is the city's most famous resident. She was born in Gotarrendura in Ávila province on March 28, 1515. She was the daughter of a Toledo merchant and his second wife, who died when Teresa was 15, one of ten children. Following a period in the care of the Augustinian nuns, Teresa resolved to enter a religious life. In 1535, she joined the Carmelite Order.

She was a major figure of the Catholic Reformation - a prominent Spanish mystic, writer and monastic reformer. Gregory XV canonized her in 1622. Her feast day is October 15 when the city honours its most famous daughter with a celebration in her honour. It begins with an opening speech from the Town Hall balcony followed by a solemn mass in the cathedral. The celebration continues with a procession through the main city streets, and, like all good Spanish fiestas, concerts, bullfights, fireworks and partying takes place for a few more days. 

St. Teresa has left Ávila with a legacy - not only the memory of her Carmelite reforms and her writings but a reminder of her can be found in the Convento de Santa Teresa, which was built in 1636 over her birthplace. Another monument to her name is the Monastery of La Encarnación where St. Teresa lived for thirty years.
 

Tomás Luis de Victoria
 

Another famous person, born in Ávila was the composer Tomás Luis de Victoria. Born in 1548, Victoria is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was certainly the most significant Spanish composer of sacred music in the late Renaissance. The biggest influence on Victoria is said to be the aforementioned Saint Teresa, which is probably why he wrote only religious music.

With all those devout residents, it is no wonder that there are so many temples in Ávila. Quite a number have prestigious connections like the Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás that houses the tomb of Don Juan, son of the Catholic Monarchs. There is the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista that contains the baptismal font in which Saint Teresa was baptised. It is just one of many Romanesque churches in the city as well as one of a number with Saint Teresa connections. 

Ávila is not just about churches. There are a number of palaces and houses of noble ancestry as well as museums. Because the city is so rich in architecture it has become a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This article is an extract from “Spanish Impressions” by Robert Bovington

ISBN 978-1-4452-2543-2 available from www.lulu.com

www.tablondeanuncios.com

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Tomás Luis de Victoria

My record collection includes Requiems composed by Mozart, Verdi, Fauré and Victoria.

"Victoria!" those of you who are not into classical music might say,

"Who's that!" 

Of course, if you are anything like some of the 'Big Brother' contestants, you probably do not know who Verdi or Fauré are either but then you are probably not reading this! 

Tomás Luis de Victoria, to give him his full name, was a Spanish composer. He was born in Ávila in 1548 and at an early age he was sent to Rome by King Phillip II to prepare for holy orders. Whilst there, he studied music and became choirmaster at the German College in the city. 

In 1576, he became chaplain to the pious dowager Empress María, the sister of King Philip, and they both returned to Madrid - to the convent of Descalzas Reales - in 1583. Victoria took on the role of choirmaster at the convent which he continued until his death in 1611. 

He wrote only religious music, which is not surprising considering what a devout Christian he was. His works included the 'Officium Hebdonadae' (1585), lots of motets and masses and 'Officium Defunctorum', the Requiem Mass that he composed for the funeral of Empress María in 1603. Another excellent work, which is ideal to celebrate Christmas, is 'O Magnum Mysterium' (1572) - the 'Hallelujah' from it is a particularly inspiring piece of music. 

Victoria is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century along with Giovanni da Palestrina, Orlando de Lassus, and William Byrd. He was certainly the most significant Spanish composer of sacred music in the late Renaissance. Some critics rate his compositions greater than Palestrina who he allegedly studied with whilst in Rome. However, the biggest influence on Tomás Luis de Victoria is said to be Saint Theresa of his hometown of Ávila, which is probably why he was such a devout Christian. 

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

 

Ávila

Even though Ávila is 3,715 feet above sea level, it is situated on a plateau that is surrounded by even loftier mountains. It is a good place to visit but not to live because, whilst the city is rather spectacular and is a notable tourist centre, it has long cold winters and short summers. The surrounding neighbourhood is not too attractive either. It is an arid, treeless plain strewn with immense grey boulders, which, I suppose, came in useful when the walls of the city were built.

Ávila
photo: Robert Bovington

Ávila is old. It is one of the oldest of all the cities in Castilla y León. Celtic Iberians, Romans, Muslims and Christians have all left their mark on this fine city.

Las Murallas - the walls - are magnificent and encompass the whole of ancient Ávila. Building started at the end of 11th century and they are 2.5 kilometres long, 14 metres high and around 3 metres thick. They are still in pretty good nick. Alfonso VI ordered their construction after his conquest of Avila in 1090. Moorish prisoners were allegedly employed to build the wall. I don't suppose they were paid though! There are eighty-eight towers and nine gates that include the imposing Puerta del Alcázar and the Puerta de Rastro. Visitors can walk along the walls between these two points. The walls are beautifully illuminated at night.

Las Murallas de Ávila
photo: Robert Bovington

The modern part of the city lies outside the walls. Within the old city are many fine buildings including churches and the 12th-century Gothic cathedral.

Ávila Cathedral was planned as a cathedral-fortress - its apse is actually part of one of the turrets of the city walls. Construction started in 1095 shortly after the Reconquest. The earliest parts were in the Romanesque style and built like a fortress with battlements and sentry walks incorporated into the structure. Most of the cathedral was built between the 12th and 14th centuries and the building is, therefore, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic. It is credited with having introduced Spain to Gothic architecture.

Ávila Cathedral

  (photo: public domain - Pizicato Elena)

Ávila Cathedral north entrance photo: public domain - Manuel de Corselas

There are quite a few religious buildings in Ávila but, then, there have been a number of religious residents. These include the 4th-century theologian Priscillian who was the first Christian to be executed for heresy and the notorious Friar Tomás Torquemada who was Spain's first Grand Inquisitor and the zealous leader of the witch-hunts of the 15th century. Another resident was San Juan de la Santa Cruz who was a reformer of the Carmelite Order. The city's most famous resident, however, is St. Teresa of Ávila.

St. Teresa of Ávila

She was a major figure of the Catholic Reformation. A prominent Spanish mystic, writer and monastic reformer, she was known for her ecstatic visions and continual life of prayer. Her most famous work was her autobiography, "The Way of Perfectio" which was written from her personal experiences. St. Teresa has left Ávila with a legacy - not only the memory of her Carmelite reforms and her writings but a reminder of her can be found in the Convento de Santa Teresa, which was built in 1636 over her birthplace. Another monument to her name is the Monastery of La Encarnacion where St. Teresa lived for thirty years.

Tomás Luis de Victoria

Another famous person, born in Ávila was Spanish composer Victoria. Tomás Luis de Victoria, to give him his full name. Victoria wrote only religious music and his works included the 'Officium Hebdonadae' (1585), lots of motets and masses and 'Officium Defunctorum', the Requiem Mass that he composed for the funeral of Empress María in 1603. Victoria is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century.

Another religious monument is the Basílica de San Vicente, which was built in the 12th century. It stands on the alleged site of the 4C martyrdom of St Vincent. Within the church is the martyr's tomb, which has been sculpted with all the gory detail of the saint's torture and execution.

Basílica de San Vicente interior

There are a number of Romanesque churches in Ávila but the 16th-century Iglesia de San Juan Bautista is worth a mention because it was declared a National Monument in 1983. The church contains the baptismal font in which Santa Teresa was baptised. Another National monument is the Convento de San José. Francisco de Mora built it in the beginning of the 17th century - or, at least, he was the architect. It became the model for the rest of the temples that would be later constructed for the Order of the Carmelites. The convent houses the Santa Teresa Museum of the Discalced Carmelites. 

Ávila is not just about churches. There are a number of palaces and houses of noble ancestry including  the Palace of los Deanes. Originally built to house the members of the clergy, it now houses the Provincial Museum.

Palace of Los Deanes
photo: public domain

Because the city is so rich in architecture it has become a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Some more photos of Ávila...

Basílica de San Vicente

old picture of  the Plaza del Alcazar

Ávila - a walk along the walls
photo: public domain (Robert Wiblin)

Ávila - Universidad de Católica
photo: Robert Bovington

Ávila photo: Robert Bovington

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Ávila

Ávila by Robert Bovington


Ávila is the highest city in Spain. It has also got a short name - I am only joking - its correct title is Ávila de los Caballeros.
Even though it is 3,715 feet above sea level, it is situated on a plateau that is surrounded by even loftier mountains. It is a good place to visit but not to live because, whilst the city is rather spectacular and is a notable tourist centre, it has long cold winters and short summers. The surrounding neighbourhood is not too attractive either. It is an arid, treeless plain strewn with immense grey boulders, which, I suppose, came in useful when the walls of the city were built.

Las Murallas

Las Murallas - the walls - are magnificent and encompass the whole of ancient Ávila. They were built in the 12th century and their total length is 8,202 feet. The modern part of the city lies outside the walls. Within the old city are many fine buildings including churches, the Gothic cathedral and an old Moorish castle. It also has many elegant mansions, some of which were built into the walls.
There are many religious buildings but two worth mentioning are the Monastery of La Encarnacion where St. Teresa lived for thirty years and the Convent of Santa Teresa which was built in the 17th century on the plot where the Carmelite reformer was born. Another famous resident was Don Juan, the only son of Ferdinand and Isabella. His tomb is contained in the Convent of Santo Tomás.
Because the city is so rich in architecture it has become a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Ávila is also the capital of the province of the same name, which is located in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon in central Spain.
The province has an area of 3,107 square miles but the city of Ávila is probably the only reason for visiting. The rearing of Merino sheep is the principal occupation. There is not a lot else - certainly not a lot of ibex. This wild goat was facing extinction until an ibex sanctuary was set up in 1905.

Spanish Music

I have written an article about Spanish music. Hope you all like it.

Spanish Music:

'via Blog this'

ÁVILA

by Robert Bovington

Ávila is the highest city in Spain.It is 3,715 feet above sea level and is situated on a plateau that is surrounded by even loftier mountains. It is a good place to visit but not to live because, whilst the city is rather spectacular and is a notable tourist centre, it has long cold winters and short summers. The surrounding neighbourhood is not too attractive either. It is an arid, treeless plain strewn with immense grey boulders, which, I suppose, came in useful when the walls of the city were built.

Ávila is old. It is one of the oldest of all the cities in Castilla y León. Celtic Iberians, Romans, Muslims and Christians have all left their mark on this fine city.

Las Murallas - the walls - are magnificent and encompass the whole of ancient Ávila. Building started at the end of 11th century and they are 2.5 kilometres long, 14 metres high and around 3 metres thick. They are still in pretty good nick. Alfonso VI ordered their construction after his conquest of Avila in 1090. Moorish prisoners were allegedly employed to build the wall. I don't suppose they were paid though! There are eighty-eight towers and nine gates that include the imposing Puerta del Alcázar and the Puerta de Rastro. Visitors can walk along the walls between these two points. The walls are beautifully illuminated at night.

The modern part of the city lies outside the walls. Within the old city are many fine buildings including churches and the 12th-century Gothic cathedral. Ávila Cathedral was planned as a cathedral-fortress - its apse is actually part of one of the turrets of the city walls. Construction started in 1095 shortly after the Reconquest. The earliest parts were in the Romanesque style and built like a fortress with battlements and sentry walks incorporated into the structure. Most of the cathedral was built between the 12th and 14th centuries and the building is, therefore, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic. It is credited with having introduced Spain to Gothic architecture. The Cathedral Museum has a display of religious art including an El Greco - the "Portrait of Garcibáñez de Múxica". 

Ávila photo: Robert Bovington

There are quite a few religious buildings in Ávila but, then, there have been a number of religious residents. These include the 4th-century theologian Priscillian who was the first Christian to be executed for heresy and the notorious Friar Tomás Torquemada who was Spain's first Grand Inquisitor and the zealous leader of the witch-hunts of the 15th century. Another resident was San Juan de la Santa Cruz who was a reformer of the Carmelite Order. 

Santa Teresa de Ávila

Saint Teresa of Ávila is the city's most famous resident. She was born in Gotarrendura in Ávila province on March 28, 1515. She was the daughter of a Toledo merchant and his second wife, who died when Teresa was 15, one of ten children. Following a period in the care of the Augustinian nuns, Teresa resolved to enter a religious life. In 1535, she joined the Carmelite Order.

She was a major figure of the Catholic Reformation - a prominent Spanish mystic, writer and monastic reformer. Gregory XV canonized her in 1622. Her feast day is October 15 when the city honours its most famous daughter with a celebration in her honour. It begins with an opening speech from the Town Hall balcony followed by a solemn mass in the cathedral. The celebration continues with a procession through the main city streets, and, like all good Spanish fiestas, concerts, bullfights, fireworks and partying takes place for a few more days. 

St. Teresa has left Ávila with a legacy - not only the memory of her Carmelite reforms and her writings but a reminder of her can be found in the Convento de Santa Teresa, which was built in 1636 over her birthplace. Another monument to her name is the Monastery of La Encarnación where St. Teresa lived for thirty years.

Tomás Luis de Victoria
 

Another famous person, born in Ávila was the composer Tomás Luis de Victoria. Born in 1548, Victoria is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was certainly the most significant Spanish composer of sacred music in the late Renaissance. The biggest influence on Victoria is said to be the aforementioned Saint Teresa, which is probably why he wrote only religious music.

With all those devout residents, it is no wonder that there are so many temples in Ávila. Quite a number have prestigious connections like the Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás that houses the tomb of Don Juan, son of the Catholic Monarchs. There is the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista that contains the baptismal font in which Saint Teresa was baptised. It is just one of many Romanesque churches in the city as well as one of a number with Saint Teresa connections. 

Ávila is not just about churches. There are a number of palaces and houses of noble ancestry as well as museums. Because the city is so rich in architecture it has become a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This article is an extract from “Spanish Impressions” by Robert Bovington

ISBN 978-1-4452-2543-2 available from www.lulu.com