Via de la Plata architecture

[Kiwi-family]

We are thinking of MAYBE walking the Via de la Plata with a special eye to architecture (and of course history). My two youngest sons (13 and 14yo) have both expressed a wish to become architects and are starting to work on a big project in that area. Having done a bit of research myself, it occurred to me that a walk along this route could show them everything from Roman ruins in Merida (and we have been studying Ancient Greece and Rome this year so these would be wonderful to see) to the amazingly modern bus station in Casar de Caceres (and the bull ring!). Obviously Seville, Salamanca and Zamora have their own treasures - not to mention Santiago itself and Madrid that we would fly in and out from. Next year our history studies will focus on the medieval world/renaissance/reformation - so Europe provides a much better field trip than NZ can manage for that time period;-)
Can anyone highlight any other important spots on this route in terms of architecture.
I'm guessing a guide will be useful, but Mr Google will help us too.
Could you recommend a good book or three (not necessarily "guide") that we could read before going? I'm not an architecture buff, but have enjoyed getting to know more as I have walked various caminos! I didn't used to know what Romanesque, gothic or aqueduct even meant!!!!!

The other question would be: do you think there is a better route for what we would like to "see"?

 

[alansykes]

Cáceres has an amazing centre full of palaces built with the spoils of the New World by conquistadors, including one who married Montezuma's daughter. Other highlights include the Calatrava bridges in Seville, the serene Visigothic church of Santa Lucía de Trampal (on a celtiberian sacred site), the solitary triumphal Arco de Cáparra, a templar tower on the church at Mombuey, Oseira monastery, and, of course, the towns you've mentioned. Oh, and the parador at Zafra, former palace stronghold of the local dukes.

A real feast of history and architecture (and landscape). I sometimes wonder why I walk anywhere else.

 

[William Marques]

Italica just North of Sevilla - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italica
plus in Seville the Cathedral and Giralda, Bullring, Alcazar, and Plaza de Espana
The already mentioned Roma Arch of Caparra - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cáparra

And to me the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca beats St Marks Square in Venice any day

 

[Castilian]

The old town of Cáceres has a lot to see. In fact, it's on the UNESCO World Heritage list... and that's for something.

The church of Santa Lucía de Trampal (in Alcuéscar) would be another not to miss sight.

If you made a Vía de la Plata plus Sanabrés mix, the church of Santa María, in Tábara would be another not to miss sight.

Other interesting places along the route (in addition to those you already quoted on your original post): Santiponce (with the monastery of S. Isidoro del Campo and the ruins of Itálica), Zafra (several convents, a colegiata...), Villafranca de los Barros (church of Nuestra SEñora del Valle, the former flour factory -nowadays a municipal cultural center-) Almendralejo (the palace where writer Espronceda was born, the Teathre-cinema Carolina Coronado...), Galisteo (walls and church) and the Roman baths of Baños de Montemayor (www.villatermal.com/index.php/component/content/article/2-uncategorised/302-termas-romanas). Of course, this list is far for complete as you'll find more interesting places along the route (the churches in some villages/towns, the albergue in a former palace in Torremejía and so on) but I think some suprise element isn't a bad idea.

If you are going to continue on the Sanabrés, Puebla de Sanabria, Lubián (with the Santuario da Tuiza and the castro das muradellas), the Oseira Monastery, the colegiata de Xunqueira de Ambía, Ourense...

 

[Harington]

We are thinking of MAYBE walking the Via de la Plata with a special eye to architecture (and of course history). My two youngest sons (13 and 14yo) have both expressed a wish to become architects and are starting to work on a big project in that area. Having done a bit of research myself, it occurred to me that a walk along this route could show them everything from Roman ruins in Merida (and we have been studying Ancient Greece and Rome this year so these would be wonderful to see) to the amazingly modern bus station in Casar de Caceres (and the bull ring!). Obviously Seville, Salamanca and Zamora have their own treasures - not to mention Santiago itself and Madrid that we would fly in and out from. Next year our history studies will focus on the medieval world/renaissance/reformation - so Europe provides a much better field trip than NZ can manage for that time period;-)
Can anyone highlight any other important spots on this route in terms of architecture.
I'm guessing a guide will be useful, but Mr Google will help us too.
Could you recommend a good book or three (not necessarily "guide") that we could read before going? I'm not an architecture buff, but have enjoyed getting to know more as I have walked various caminos! I didn't used to know what Romanesque, gothic or aqueduct even meant!!!!!

The other question would be: do you think there is a better route for what we would like to "see"?

ZAfra, without a doubt, the "little Seville ".

 

[peregrina2000]

I will put in another plug for the two visigothic churches near the Vdlp. Romanesque is one thing, but visigothic is VII and VIII century!! The first, Santa Lucía de Trampal, is about 3 km from the ayuntamiento in Alcuéscar. It is a nice marked walk, very easy to find and is alongside a totally untraveled road. When I walked there, the only car to pass me was the woman on her way to open up the church. It has been restored and is in a beautiful spot, a big flower-filled meadow.



The other, more difficult to get to, but also an amazing place, is San Pedro de la Nave, about 21 km outside Zamora. It is actually on the Braganca variant of the Vdlp. I got a ride out there in the morning from the albergue hospitalero who decided he'd like to see it. I then walked back to Zamora through fields and trying to find the arrows in reverse. This is one of those churches, like Portomarín, where a dam flooded the town and the church was moved stone by stone. There is one capital in that church that is really breathtaking -- Daniel in the lion's den. Its location is not as idyllic as Santa Lucía's but it is still a great little field trip for someone studying the Middle Ages!

 

[Kiwi-family]

Oh how decidedly tantalising this all is! Hubby has just told me I have the day "off" on Saturday next weekend and so I am going to sit with the library wifi all day looking up the things you have told me about, doing a bit of googling and working out a possible itinerary (which we all know will be abandoned, but will at least highlight things we want to make time for!). When we did the Portuguese this year we did not plan beforehand and I felt we missed a little in comparison to the walks we have done when we have had a bit of background knowledge. On the other hand, every day was a surprise, but I find that happens anyway, so a bit of pre-planning is all part of the excitement for me.

PS Laurie, *visigothic* will be my newest learning, thank you! I can hardly wait to jump into this architecture learning with my boys!

 

[peregrina2000]

p.s. Rachel, I remember that at Santa Lucia, there was a very nice display inside the church describing life in what used to be the monastery, very educational.

 

[MarianneGardner]

Point out some of the great town planning features in Spanish cities - the plazas, the pedestrianised streets, cars underground, the preserved medieval old cities, limited car access, the public transport. It would be great if your sons could help to get some of this happening in NZ and Australia. The Moorish style houses in the south - look in a few doorways into the shady central courtyards with a fountain, a garden and natural air conditioning. After my first visit to Morocco and Spain I came back to Australia saying we should be building this style of house here. Maybe not so much in Dunedin.

 

[peregrina2000]

ppss. I just had a flash remembering something -- in Merida, you can get a bracelet that admits you to all the main sites. I would do that. It doesn't include the museum, if my memory is right, but the museum is oh so worth a visit that I would spring for that as well. The other thing I would add is that when I went to the library to use their internet and computers, there was excavation on the ground, and the library was built over it, leaving room for people to see the excavation. It was amazing, I remember a whole bunch of excavated tombs and was so impressed at how the government had decided to leave the ground in tact and build above it.

 

[Donna Sch]

Moorish architecture! The Alquib in Caceres, also in Merida.
And I'm trying to remember the name of that old city which I think is north of Monta Marta. The first thing you see is some big rocks on your left and then you realise they are part of something. Next thing you realise their size and that you are looking at a city or the ruins of one. You can imagine knights on horses charging out of the walled city ready to take on an enemy. What really strikes you is how this was a large city that was present for a few humdred years and now there is nothing but moss covered ruins. It's a great lesson about impermanence. There is also some engraved slabs dedicated to inspirational people.

 

[Castilian]

And I'm trying to remember the name of that old city which I think is north of Monta Marta.

It might be Castrotorafe.

BTW, I forgot to quote on my previous post the ruins of the monastery of Santa María Moreruela.

 

[whariwharangi]

I spent all of a week in Salamanca taking Spanish lessons several years ago.

On the way to my apartment after classes 8 levels worth of balconies fell onto the sidewalk. Another two seconds and I would have been under it.

So in terms of architecture ... Salamanca would be a good place to learn how not to do it.

There are some older structures ... the Cathedral and the central Plaza de Armas being of note ... but in the main its just a lesson in containing urban sprawl with streets full of ugly apartment blocks and the effects of Spanish attitudes towards maintenance.