Castile and Leon - the largest region of Spain, bordering with Portugal. This is an amazing place where the magnificent nature, ancient architecture of different epochs and unsurpassed Spanish cuisine blended together to become a pride of the Spaniards and to delight foreign guests. In the end, Castile and Leon - this is the birthplace of modern Spanish!
In the 11th century, once separate kingdoms on the Iberian peninsula became a single administrative unit, and this event was the beginning of the unification of all Spanish lands. And it was here that the Pyrenean Christians won their first victories over the Moors, occupying a significant part of the country. Finally, the reconquest of the Reconquista began here.
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Such a stormy historical past could not but leave a mark on the architecture of this region. The number of ancient fortresses, cathedrals and monasteries here will amaze even the tourist who has seen the species, and this is confirmed by the fact that entire quarters of individual cities are declared UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.
Leon
First of all, its attractions are the ancient city of Leon, once the capital of the eponymous kingdom .Of particular value is the historic center of the city, enclosed by high fortress walls, which were built hundreds of years ago .Behind them hid from modern vanity the most ancient cathedral in Spain, built in Gothic style and decorated with incredible beauty stained glass, as well as the Church of St. Isidore with truly unique frescoes .And just on the banks of the river Duero is a luxurious Renaissance building, once a monastery, and today is a historic hotel of the highest class .
Segovia
But even more attractive is the ancient architecture of Segovia, whose historical center is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Time stopped here a few centuries ago, at least, this impression is created during walks through the narrow, thoughtful streets of the historic city center, where ancient houses with cozy courtyards, elegant fountains, filigree carved sculptures and magnificent cathedrals have lain. @
The pearl of urban architecture is rightfully considered the palace of the Alcazar, towering on a hill somewhat distant from the city itself. Relatively recently, he experienced a grandiose restoration, but this did not lose his special charm, accumulated over the years. The highlight of this architectural complex is a complex system of underground passages that connects the palace with many city buildings.
Avila and Burgos
Avila, on a par with Segovia, has a special status and is under the auspices of UNESCO. The old city is surrounded by an impregnable fortress, and in one of its walls is built a rather unusual three-nave basilica of St. Vicente. In Burgos there is also a cathedral, which is no longer equal in beauty in Spain, it was erected over five centuries and was able to absorb all the best from different eras.
Salamanca
Salamanca, too, can boast of the majestic city council, but the real pride of the city is the university, which was opened at the dawn of the 13th century and is one of the oldest in Europe.
Nature of Castile and Leon
In the Middle Ages, almost the entire territory of Castile and Leon was turned into pastures, and the mighty forests gave way to extensive agricultural lands, and since then local landscapes have acquired a certain monotony. But this is also the special charm of this area with quite severe winters and short dry summers. Only in some parts of the region can you find small groves. The mountainous part of Castile and Leon is rich in forests, here oaks and chestnuts predominate.
And in the vicinity of Salamanca, the forests are so specific that they can be compared to the savannah. In this region there live a huge number of various wild animals, including those that are not found anywhere else in the world, for example the mountain goat Pyrenees or mountain cats.
Nevertheless, the local nature is the best for skiing, every winter thousands of tourists come here to ski on the snow-covered expanses of Castile and Leon. Photo of Castile and Leon (16)