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.
Zamora is the capital of the province
of Zamora, lying in the northwest near the frontier with Portugal
and crossed by the Duero river. It is located around 24 miles
north of Salamanca.
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Zamora is a small city on the banks
of the river Duero with outstanding historical buildings. The
Puente de Piedra is a stone bridge from the 12th and 13th century
that crosses the river taking you into the city. From here you
can enjoy a magnificent view of the cathedral and the town walls.
The cathedral itself was built in the 12th century, its most
characteristic element is its dome.The castle is a fortress of
Arab origin which still preserves its Keep, gate and the moat.
On your way to the Plaza Mayor, through narrow cobbled streets,
you can admire a fine set of Romanesque churches, like those
of San Ildefonso, La Magdalena or San Cipriano. Vaults with Gothic
arches, apses and doorways decorated with plant motifs and the
oldest reliefs in the city are some of the jewels that you will
encounter in this lovely walk among the monuments. |