History : Ávila

Overview

The city of Ávila is the best example of a walled medieval city in Spain. Within its walls and in the suburbs which surround them, the churches, convents, monuments and narrow winding streets make this Castilian city one of those remarkable in the Iberian peninsula and a place where the history of Spain and the medieval way of life can be clearly seen. As with many Spanish cities, the origin of the city of Ávila is lost in tradition and legend. According to mythology Abyla was the wife of Hercules and bore him a son named Alcideo, who conquered the centre of the peninsula. He gave his mother’s name to the most important city which was founded there.

In 1985 it was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Founded in the 11th century to protect the Spanish territories from the Moors, this 'City of Saints and Stones', the birthplace of St Teresa and the burial place of the Grand Inquisitor Torquemada, has kept its medieval austerity. This purity of form can still be seen in the Gothic cathedral and the fortifications which, with their 82 semicircular towers and nine gates, are the most complete in Spain.

The Vetons

However, the first known inhabitants in the area which is home to the city were people of Celtic origin, the Vetons, who found here a strategic terrain, raised on a steep rock and close to a river, which would allow them to defend themselves and to go about their shepherding work. They left numerous remains behind them, both in Ávila and nearby locations. The most noteworthy are the “verracos” - boar-like animal sculptures, divinities whose real meaning we can only guess at. Neighbouring settlements such as Cogotas and Ulaca allow us to study their way of life. In describing them, the Greek historian Strabo highlighted their distinctive characteristics as contempt for life, valour, sobriety, hatred of outsiders, disdain for alliances and the love of freedom and independence. The Vetons settled around the 7th century BC, and their decline began with the arrival in 237 BC of Amílcar Barca, who imposed high levies on the native peoples to feed his military ranks. Later on, the Romans set up a military camp in what is today Ávila and forced the Vetons to abandon their settlements to avoid hostilities.

The Romans

The Romans also enriched the history of this city and developed what would be the basis of the current urban layout. As a lasting reminder of their presence, there are large quantities of pottery and remains of inscriptions which were re-used to build the medieval wall. In the 1st century AD, during the Roman Empire, an important Christian community was formed on Ávila soil and this period of history leaves us the names of San Segundo and later the Saints Vicente, Sabina and Cristeta. The peninsula was under the control of Rome for six centuries, and this power came to an end with the arrival of barbarian peoples from the north.

The Alanai and the Visigoths

After the Alani came the Visigoths. This was the period when we begin to hear the name of Ávila and its diocese in the minutes of the Councils of Toledo, where the names of prelates from Ávila are mentioned. There are very few remains from the Visigoth period, and after the invasion of the peninsula by the Arab conquerors the entire agrarian and power structure disappeared, leaving a land barely occupied by shepherds who were victim to frequent sieges and occupations by the Christian kings, although they were unpredictable in nature. Finally, Alfonso VI of Castile completed the conquest of Toledo in 1088, and moved the front line with the Muslim enemy to the River Tagus, which brought with it the need to repopulate the lands south of the Duero. Thus began work in Ávila which would transform it into one of the great cities of Castile. Alfonso VI entrusted his son-in-law, Raymond of Burgundy, with the repopulation, fortification and enlargement of the City of Ávila and its boroughs.

Christians and the Moors

Avila was fortified when Castile passed into Christian hands, but two important points should be made: when the city wall was built, at the beginning of the 12th century, the whole of the south of Spain was under Arab hegemony; furthermore, during that period there were no borders or consolidated dominions, even between the Christian monarchs themselves.

The repopulation undertaken by Raymond of Burgundy attracted people from all corners of the peninsula, especially from north of the Duero, and even from more far-off lands, including many Franks who accompanied the Count Raymond. They came to colonize the front-line, attracted by the promise of privileges granted to those who left their lands and began a new life in the territory won back from the Muslim enemy. Similarly Jews and “mozárabes” (Christians who kept their religion under Islamic rule) enriched the population which came to inhabit these lands, fleeing from the religious persecution which threatened their way of life in the south of Spain.

Avila enjoyed charters and numerous royal privileges, as well as full representation in the Cortes (parliament). And despite the fact that it would later suffer from both the economic depression in Castilian agriculture and the civil wars which were part and parcel of life in the kingdom of Castile throughout the 14th century, it was able to overcome these problems and did not lose its role as a protagonist which made Ávila one of the greatest cities in the Castilian kingdom. These centuries of knights and serfs, of Jews, Moors and Christians, gave birth to beautiful legends which can still be conjured up today from amongst the calm and sobriety of its stones.

From the beginning of the repopulation the inhabitants of Ávila thought about covering all their needs, both defensive and spiritual, and soon began to build their beautiful churches and the element which would, with the passage of time, become the symbol of the city, the wall. Although it was solely conceived to play a defensive role, it would later come to be seen as a work of art.

Ávila reached a period of prosperity, as did the whole of Castile, with the unification and reign of the Catholic Monarchs, although it suffered serious consequences as a result of momentous political decisions such as the expulsion in 1492 of the Jewish population, which was of great demographic and economic importance for this noble city.

16th century

It was where the magnificent Renaissance musician Tomás Luis de Victoria grew up and received his education. Artists of great influence left their creative mark on Ávila. In this golden century for the city, numerous civil works were undertaken, to bring water, lighting, paved streets, etc. These years also saw the noble families embellishing the streets and squares by renovating their palatial houses in a sober and extremely elegant Renaissance style. These and many other events made the 16th century a period of political, religious, cultural and artistic splendour.

During the reign of Carlos I it was the stage for the Council of “Comuneros” and the focal point for the organization of the war of the “Comunidades” (Communities). During the whole of the 16th century it was witness to the birth, education, conversion and reforming and written work of the great Saint of Ávila, Teresa de Jesús, and the work of her contemporary and the magnificent poet San Juan de la Cruz, patron of Spanish-speaking writers, who was born in the locality of Fontiveros.

17th century to present day

Ávila, whose demographic decline began with the expulsion of the Jews, had to endure both the appointment of Madrid as the capital of the court, with the subsequent departure of noblemen to this new centre, and the later expulsion of the “moriscos” or Moorish converts. In subsequent centuries, like the rest of Spain, Ávila suffered a stagnation brought about by a gradual reduction in its commercial trade and the strength of its craft industries, a decline in the population, the economic losses produced by the wars and the loss of the Empire, the destruction resulting from the French invasion and the disappearance of its heritage caused by the sale of Church lands by Mendizábal and Madoz. This situation continued until the middle of the 19th century, when, gradually, investment in the city began to increase. Today Ávila is a flourishing city, combining the charm and value of its medieval past with a promising future, making it an ideal place to live in the present.

With thanks to Sonsoles Guillén for writing this guide.