Cáceres Old Town

Cáceres, Spain

Cáceres is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Cáceres. The city was declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO in 1986 because of the city's blend of Roman, Moorish, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance architecture. Thirty towers from the Islamic period still stand in Cáceres, of which the Torre del Bujaco is the most famous.

Cáceres has been a trade route city and a political centre of the local nobles for many centuries. Since prehistoric times, people from different cultures have gathered in Cáceres and have shaped its strong historical roots. Pre-Roman settlements occupied the original plot followed by the Roman, Arab, Jewish and Christian people.

The influence and remains of these cultures can be observed and studied in the walled ensemble of Cáceres, with a wide typological and constructive variety ranging from popular architecture to palace-houses, with their characteristic sobriety and towers of the nobility of Gothic and Renaissance times. The city's history of battles between Moors and Christians is also reflected in the architecture, which is a blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance styles. This property also includes noteworthy religious buildings such as churches, hermitages and convents.

Cáceres is an outstanding example of a city that was ruled from the 14th to 16th centuries by powerful rival factions, reflected in its dominant spatial configuration of fortified houses, palaces and towers. This city in Extremadura bears the traces of highly diverse and contradictory influences. The urban design in the area inside the walls is an example of a medieval city, which has shaped its current aspect over centuries.

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Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Historic city squares, old towns and villages in Spain

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Eagleridge He (7 months ago)
Love this part of the Caceres. We arrived after 10pm from a long drive and couldn’t see much of the town in the dark. When we got up in the morning, the wet street and cold air in January, together with the old buildings, this was the perfect picture of a little town of Spain in my mind. Hundreds of years history has been maintained and carried on here. Love it ?
Alexandre Alves (7 months ago)
The city of Cáceres is a reflection of all the cultures that lived within its walls. And, years later, he saw his city expand outside the walls. The first traces of the city date back to Roman times, although previous human settlements are known. Although the city only acquired a certain splendor with the arrival of the Arabs who left important remains, such as the Palácio de las Veletas, an old fortress and the imposing wall. During the 13th and 14th centuries, several noble families from the north of the Peninsula found Cáceres the ideal place to build their stately homes, within the walled enclosure, on the Muslim substrate. Thus giving way to the characteristic architecture of the old center of Cáceres: austere buildings, with a strong defensive nature. Most of the civil and religious buildings in the old center of Cáceres date back to the end of the 19th century. XV and XVI. Today, the highlights of the Plaza Mayor are the Abrantes Palace, the Casa de los Trucos, the Palacio de la Isla, the Church of Santiago, the Convent of San Francisco, the Hermitage of the Holy Spirit and the Sanctuary of Ntra. Mrs. de la Montaña, among others. The Jewish population also left its mark in the capital of Cáceres, where we find the Jewish Quarter, located at one end of the wall, following the winding layout of narrow streets, some with dead ends. Its historical value is recognized and it is integrated into the Spanish Jewish Quarters Network.
Oliver Weisflog (7 months ago)
Lovely old Medieval city. Old town small enough to walk around
Kym McKenna (10 months ago)
I live in Portugal and my husband and I were looking for a great place for a quick road trip. We decided on Caceres and WOW it really delivered. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and wandering around it really does feel like stepping back 500 years in time. We got up and out for an early morning walk in late September and it seemed we were in a time warp with nobody except us. Magical. Some excellent restaurants with authentic Spanish cuisine and live music in little bars tucked away down little back streets. We loved every minute and can't wait to go back.
Harvey Woodard (14 months ago)
We were impressed with the number of restored buildings and the beautiful architecture. You can get an idea of the medieval lifestyle. Some tapas bars served typical Spanish fare in a relaxed atmosphere.
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