Castile-Leon (Castilla y Leon in Spanish) is a region of Spain
composed of Leon with the provinces of Leon, Zamora and Salamanca,
and Castile with the provinces of Avila, Burgos, Palencia, Segovia,
Soria and Valladolid. It was formed by the union of two ancient
kingdoms: Old Castile and the Kingdom of Leon, which were separated
and reunited several times in the Middle Ages. It borders on
Asturias and Cantabria to the north, Aragon, the Basque Country,
and La Rioja to the east, the autonomous community of Madrid
and Castile-La Mancha to the southeast, Extremadura to the south,
and borders on Portugal and Galicia to the west. It is the largest
region in Spain with its capital Valladolid almost at its very
centre.
Leon is the capital of Leon province
in the north of the region; it has an important link by train
with Madrid and is linked by several major road routes.
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Leon is one of the most historic cities
of Old Castile, and within Castilla y Leon, situated at the foot
of the Cantabrian mountains it is surrounded by rich farmland,
green meadow, and woods. The Knights Templar built castles and
fortifications here in the Middle Ages. The old town of Leon
is set back from the river, partly enclosed at one end by the
remains of the medieval ramparts. Here there are tranquil places
to rest, a bustling market area and many historic buildings to
view. The city's most famous monuments are its great Gothic cathedral,
the church Basilica de San Isidoro with valuable Romanesque frescoes
in its crypt, and the San Marcos monastery of the Renaissance
period. Close to Leon are the legendary Roman gold mines Las
Medulas. |