travel
guide
Town Hall at the Plaza Mayor
Plaza Mayor: As early as the thirteenth century, when Cáceres was conquered by Christian troops, this square was used as a craft fair site and even for Council meetings. The arcades that surround it are from the sixteenth century, with arches on pillars, and being bounded on the east side by the 12th century Almohad walls. The Town Hall is from the 19th century; the Bujaco tower is from the same period as the Almohad wall, where legend says 40 Christian noblemen were beheaded by Arab troops from Abu Jacob (
Tuesday to Sunday on summer from 10:00 to 14:00 & 17:30 to 20:30, on winter from 10:00 to 14:00 & 16:30 to 19:30; 
2 €). Next to the tower is the hermitage of La Paz, built in the 18th century, with the image of Our Lady of Peace, by the sculptor Pedro Correa. The arch of La Estrella was built in the eighteenth century on the same spot that had been occupied since the 15th century by the so-called New Gate. Its layout is by Manuel Lara Churriguera. Next to it stands the tower of the Pulpits or New Tower. Construction of the Toledo Montezuma House dates from between the 16th and early 17th centuries. Inside are some magnificent pictorial friezes with Roman characters mixed with Aztecs.
Balcony from the Palacio de Carvajal
Cathedral of Santa María
The church of Santiago was built on an earlier temple from the 12th century in Romanesque style in transition to Gothic. Features of the inside are the Main Altarpiece, by Alonso de Berruguete and his studio. The vault was designed and built by Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón. The Godoy Palace was the home of the conquistador Francisco de Godoy, who fought with Pizarro and Almagro in Peru and Chile. It has one of the most beautiful corner balconies in Cáceres, being built in the middle of the 16th century. The construction of the Carvajal House & Palace -in Amargura, 1– has been established between the late 15th and early 16th centuries. A major feature is the coat of arms of the Carvajal family on the front, famous for having summoned King Ferdinand IV to the Tribunal de Dios for having ordered the execution of two of them. Following the death of the king in this square, the two Carvajal brothers were considered to be innocent of the alleged murder of the nobleman Juan Alonso de Benavente. Although the building suffered a fire and was abandoned until the 70s, it was restored as the headquarters of the Tourism and Craft Board of the Provincial Council of Cáceres ( Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 21:15, Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 & 17:00 to 20:00, Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00).
The Cathedral of Santa Maria -in the plaza de Santa Maria- has held its title since 1957, having examples of various architectural styles. Its marked Romanesque style in transition to Gothic Revival also has Renaissance traces in the choir and the tower. Inside lie the remains of several stately families. The altarpiece of the Main Chapel was the work of Roque Ferrant Balduque and Guillen in 1551, made of cedar wood in proto-Renaissancestyle. The front of the vestry is an example of Extremadura Plateresque ( from 1st October to the first working Monday in May from 10:00 to 14:00 & 16:30 to 20:00, Saturdays from 9:30 to 12:50 & 16:00 to 18:15, Sundays from 9:30 to 11:50 & 17:00 to 18:15, from the first Monday in May to 30 September it closes an hour later; 1 €). In front of its main facade is the Episcopal Palace, a work form the 15th and 16th centuries with a magnificent Renaissance facade. Next to the Episcopal Palace is the Hernando de Ovando Palace, built at the end of the 15th century in Renaissance style and noted for its beautiful courtyard. It was the mansion of Hernando de Ovando, who was brother of the first governor of La Española, Fray Nicolás de Ovando. The Mayoralgo Palace was built between the 14th and 15th centuries, with a rear facade from the 16th century. Outstanding features are its double windows and the family coat of arms on the doorway and the interior courtyard. The facade of the Golfines de Abajo Palace is Plateresque with Gothic elements from the 16th century. It was the residence of the Catholic Monarchs during their stay in the city. The lineage room shows the various families that have been added to the lineage of the Golfines.
San Jorge square
Plaza de San Jorge: San Jorge is named patron of Cáceres since it was on the night before his feast day when the city was conquered by the troops of Alfonso IX. As an altar stone, the square has the church of San Francisco Javier at the top and the former residence of the Jesuits, both the work of the Society of Jesus in the 18th century. The Becerra House was built in the 15th century with a semi-circular doorway, emblems of the Paredes, Ribera, and Orellana Becerra families lying on the facade, which complete the enclosure of this majestic Place on the right side ( Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 to 14:00 & 17:00 to 20:00, Sunday from 11:00 to 14:00). Cáceres-Andrades House is popularly known as the Monkey House. It housed the Museum of Fine Arts inside for years, currently being the library of Alonso Zamora Vicente, master of the Royal Academy of Language. Its Gothic building dates from the 15th century, the main features being the inner courtyard and attractive staircase in the shape of a monkey.
Plaza de San Mateo: Situated around this are some buildings of artistic interest, behind the church of San Mateo, built between the 16th and 18th centuries in late Gothic style and with an interesting Renaissance chapel. The highlights are the Plateresque door and the rococo altarpiece by Vicente Barbadillo, together with the granite tombs in its walls. The Convent of San Pablo was built on a former hermitage inhabited by Franciscan friars of the Order of Santa Clara. Its construction dates from the 15th century, being late Gothic style, with a splayed doorway and a pointed arch. The Main Altarpiece is Baroque, with some images of interest in gold.
The Calle Ancha links the Plaza de San Mateo to the Merida Gate, some buildings of great interest being visible here, such as the facades with the coats of arms of the Carvajals and the Ulloas. Opposite this facade is another mansion with the coat of arms of Ulloa-Golfín, residence of the Lords of Castillejo that, as with the above, is on a corner with the Plaza de San Mateo. Down the street is the Paredes-Saavedra House in the style of a building-fortress, contributed to by the lopped off tower. Opposite it, the Marqueses de Torreorgaz House, with an excellent 16th century tower and an inner courtyard, and today the location of the Parador. At the end of the street is the Sánchez Paredes House with its coat of arms, beneath which is carved the Latin inscription “We found here a lasting city but we seek the eternal one.” The Calle Ancha leads to the square of Santa Clara, with the Convent of the same name, from the 16th century. Near the square you can see the Mochada tower, a former stronghold of the Almohad wall. The Pereros House -in the Calle Pereros- offers an interesting Renaissance courtyard, occupied today by a university residence.
Muslim well at the Museum of Cáceres
Plaza de las Veletas: Adjacent to the Plaza de San Mateo, it offers the 15th century Cigüeñas House (White Stork House) with its unlopped tower, the current headquarters of the Military Government. Its first owner was Diego de Ovando, a supporter of Isabella the Catholic in the War of Succession against Beltraneja. On the site of what was the Almohad fortress stands the Veletas House & Palace -at number 1– built at the end of the 15th century by Diego Gómez de Torres. It is known as the “house of the wells” since in its basement it has one of the best preserved wells in the Muslim world. The building now houses the Museum of Cáceres in the form of a journey through the history and ethnography of the province. The Caballos House (Horses House), attached to the museum, includes an exhibition of paintings and sculpture ( from 14th April to 30th September Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 14:30 & 17:00 to 20:15, Sunday from 10:15 to 14:30, from 1st October to 13th April from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 14:30 & 16:00 to 19:15, Sunday from 10:15 to 14:30; free for EU citizens, other nationals 1.20 €). From this point it is possible to visit the old Jewish district of San Antonio, where the hermitage of San Antonio del Barrio was built on an earlier synagogue. In this district is the only existing Roman gate on the walls, the Puerta del Rio or Arco del Cristo.
The Plaza de San Mateo leads to an emblematic area of the city, the Adarve, adjoining the Plaza Mayor. This is the location of the Golfines de Arriba House & Palace, built in the 15th century and attached to other areas owned by the Saavedra del Postigo family. Its main features are its five towers, one of which is not lopped, since its owner, García Golfín, received permission from the Catholic king to do this. Condes Adanero House -in the square of Santa Ana- is close to the gate of the same name and the octagonal shaped Redonda tower, as well as the Postigo tower, successively built over Celtiberian, Roman and Almohad remains. Nearby, the Generala House owes its name to the wife of General Antonio de Arse y Ereso, Doña Vicenta de Ovando. The forging of the bars on the balcony are outstanding, having been the location of the Town Hall in the 19th century. Down towards the Plaza Mayor you can see remains of the wall and the Foro de los Balbos, formerly known as the Atrio del Corregidor, all of this next to the Town Hall.
surroundings
TRUJILLO
Trujillo's Main Square
The Plaza Mayor of Trujillo has for a century been the shopping centre and heart of the city thanks to its markets and public spectacles. Muslim and Jewish districts would be based here, as well as those of artisans and merchants. Until expanding beyond the walls of the city, the area occupied today by the Plaza Mayor were suburbs bordering the fortified area. From the original Plaza del Arrabal it would develop, from the 16th century, into a stately Renaissance style square, where all the noble families of the city would seek to establish their Place s of residence. This appeal of the square continues today, both for visitors and for the people of Trujillo, who encounter the same commercial and social environment of yesteryear amongst its arcades.
The majestic church of San Martín was started in the 16th century, being topped with subsequent expansions in the 16th century. It has a single nave covered with a cross vault, as well as closed side chapels with Renaissance style bars. It has a Romanesque font in the Baptistery, the organ near the choir being in baroque style. It has two doors on the outside, one in a classic Renaissance style with a semi-circular arch, the other being of Gothic tracery, known as the Limas Gate for the fruits that decorate it. It was the custom to celebrate the city councils in this doorway. Kings like Charles V, Philip II or Philip V prayed there, the Emperor on his trip to Seville to marry Elizabeth of Portugal, and Philip II after uniting in his person the control of the whole peninsula in 1583.
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THE NEIGHBOUR UPSTAIRS
One of the things that draws our attention when stroll through the Extremenian villages are the storks, who use to nest on the towers and bell towers of the city centre.
The white stork (ciconia ciconia) is a bird that could reach an height of 100-125 centimeters (39.4 – 47.2 inches), more than 2 meters of wingspan (2 feet, 6 inches) and a weight from 2 to 5 kg (4.4 – 11 lbs). Its plumage is white, except in the tip of the wings where it’s mostly black. Its pointed bick is used to dig in the mud and capture small fishes, insects and reptiles. The storks are mute, but they could comunicate by making a characteristic sound clacking their sharp, powerful beaks.
The storks are a migrant species who spend the summer months in the warm areas of Europe, going back to tropical Africa at the beginning of the fall. The couples use the same nest that they left behind months ago, taking Place its courtship at the beginning of the spring, for what they use a characteristic dance to attract its couple.
The myth of the storks as baby-carriers comes for Victorian England, when the details of human reproduction were hard to explain to little children. Due to the traveling nature of the storks and its habit of placing their nests in roofs and chimneys, it just became easy to use the example of the storks dropping babies through the house’s chimney to convince little children that they have been transported in the stork’s beak.
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The Duques de San Carlos Palace owes its name to the Dukedom of San Carlos, the title of the family that owned the palace from the 18th century. It is situated opposite the Puerta de las Limas and emerged as result of the alliance between the Vargas and Carvajal families, work starting on the site of another manor in the 16th century. In the 17th century several repairs were carried out by the stonemason from Villanueva de la Serena, Antonio de Mera, and in 1960 it was restored again for the Convent of the Sisters of St. Jerome. There are two facades on the palace: one at the Calle Garcia de Paredes, with three bodies that are finished with the coat of arms of the Vargas-Carvajals, and another one that faces the Calle Domingo Ramos, with a lovely arched gallery where the main feature is the third body, being a lintelled loggia with Corinthian capitals. The corner balcony is framed in two double-headed eagles, which support the arms of the Vargas-Carvajal family. The interior has a classic style square courtyard, and two floors with arcades of Tuscan columns.
The Marquesado de Piedras Albas Palace is a 16th century Renaissance palace, built on the arcades called “bread” by Pedro Suarez de Toledo. The main feature is the loggia of three segmental arches that shows the influence of the Florentine style. The building is topped with a granite Gothic cresting and the central courtyard has a double cloister. The Marqueses de la Conquista Palace, also known popularly as the Palace of the “coat of arms” is one of the most important buildings of 16th century Trujillo architecture. It consists of two facades built of masonry, with great importance of the opening in the aesthetics of the building, where there are numerous arches and windows. A feature of the interior is a coffered ceiling decorated with human faces. The corner balcony is decorated almost entirely with Plateresque motifs. The busts in high relief on the balcony are those of Francisco Pizarro and Inés Huylas Yupanqui, as well as those of Francisca Pizarro and Hernando Pizarro; on the balcony is a great coat of arms that the Emperor Charles V granted to Francisco Pizarro, discoverer of Peru.
Peso Real or Chaves Cárdenas House is a Gothic building with Renaissance elements, the main feature being the lintelled door between twisted and Solomonic columns, topped with pinnacles that are reminiscent of Gothic-Manueline. It was given the name because flour used to be weighed in it, the so-called “prison shaft” appearing on the ground floor, through which you can access the Juan Pizarro de Orellana Palace, the first mayor of the city of Cuzco in the late 16th century. This palace is the result of the transformation of the fortified house of Diego de Vargas into a Renaissance palace. A loggia or lintelled gallery with bastions above the front supports the coats of arms of the Pizarro and Orellana families between rosettes. An interesting Plateresque courtyard with double cloister remains in the interior. For a long it time was known as the House of Trade for being the Place of enlistment for those who wished to go to Peru, now being the Mother House of the Sagrado Corazón College. Cervantes stayed here while travelling to the Monastery of Guadalupe in gratitude for his release after years of captivity in Algiers.
Trujillo's castle
The Santa Marta Palace –in the Calle Ballestero, next to the Church of San Martín- was built in the 16th century by the Marquis of Santa Marta and the Dukedom of Valencia. It has an interesting facade, designed by Francisco Becerra, stonemason of Trujillo. The equestrian statue of Francisco Pizarro is an emblem of Trujillo, the work of the North American sculptor Charles Rumsey, a great admirer of the Trujillo conquistador. It is a bronze statue weighing 6,500 kg, and built on granite from the neighbouring town of Santa Cruz. The Cadenas House gets its name from the chains on its door lintel, recalling the right of asylum acquired by its owners after King Felipe II stayed there in 1583, having been named king of Portugal. Its Alfiler tower was built in the 14th century and topped by a metal rod that resembles a large pin. The crest of the tower is Gothic with a brick dome, features of which are the coats of arms of the Chave and Orellana families that are set into the Talavera de la Reina tiles. Sotomayor House is from the 16th century and has an interesting stone facade and a portico of semi-circular openings on beaded pillars. The church of la Sangre (blood church) is a 17th century building under the patronage of the Inquisitor of Granada and Cordoba, Gabriel Pizarro de Hinojosa y Arévalo, who chose this Place for his burial. It is a Latin cross building with a dome made of brick.
The castle is situated on the highest part of the city on the Cabezo de Zorro hill, of the type that was characteristic of the Caliphate of Cordoba period in the 10th and 11th centuries. Until the 16th century, the castle would keep its original structure, although later centuries would bring some changes. The appearance is almost entirely military, built with brick and masonry, a feature of the entry gates being the southern one, from which the city can be seen and above which is the sanctuary dedicated to the patron saint of Trujillo, the Virgen de la Victoria. The Muslim ramparts were made with masonry walls, with abundant sand and lime, and with the inclusion of the reused Roman stones. 17 rectangular and square towers were preserved, topped with square and pyramid shaped battlements. Only four of the old gates remain: San Andres, Santiago, Triunfo and La Coria. All of them reveal additions from the 15th or 16th centuries.
The Museum of La Coria was formerly the Convent of San Francisco el Real de la Puerta de Coria, located a few metres from the Puerta de Coria or del Terreno, hence its solid and defensive appearance. Its magnificent present appearance is due to the restoration work of the “Xavier de Salas” Foundation, which has its headquarters here. With rooms dedicated to the discovery of America, this museum clarifies and explains the discovery and meeting of Europe with America in a very informative and educational way. The church of Santa María la Mayor -in the square of the same name- is the most important church of all those to be found within the walls. The site was probably occupied by an Arab mosque until the 13th century, hence the late Romanesque style of the church is, but reformed in the 16th centuries. The interior has three naves with barrel vaults, with abundant burials from the 16th and 18th centuries. The Main Altarpiece is from the late 15th century and was the work of Fernando Gallego. The Triumph Gate is one of the four gates that still exist and owes its name to the fact that Christian troops passed through here on January 25, 1232, when the city was finally reconquered. There are three coats of arms that remain inside belonging to the Orellana, Bejarano and Anasco families, as well as the royal coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs.
Pizarro's statue
From the fortress of the Bejaranos there are only the remains of two towers, one from the 13th century and another later one, both Mudejar. Continuing along the wall is the gate of San Andres and the church of the same name, without any religion today, and opposite the latter is the Strong House of the Escobars, built between the 15th and 16th centuries under the dominion of the Catholic Monarchs. The fortress of the Altamiranos, popularly known as “Alcazarejo”, was built in the 13th century by Ferrán Ruiz. The main entrance is from the 16th century and contains the coat of arms of the Altamiranos between its two lopped towers. The fortress of Chaves, “El Viejo”, is next to the gate of Santiago, forming part of the defensive system of the town. Its construction dates back to the reign of Alfonso XI and it would be Luis de Chaves who gave it its current appearance. The Catholic Monarchs stayed in this fortress when they visited Trujillo in 1477 and 1479. Built of brick and masonry, it has a beautiful tower that would serve to defend the gate of Santiago. It was a nursing home and is now the College of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The church of Santiago was begun in the 13th century, only the ground floor structure remaining from this period. The dome and apse are from later centuries, as is the first chapel of Diego Alonso, from the 16th century. The gate of Santiago is supported by the church and the fortress of the Chaves. The cistern, probably a Roman public bath, is an interesting tank of large proportions, located near the church of San Andrés. The Arab well, from the 10th century, is located in a building of the square of Altamirano. It has three naves and six arches supported by pilasters, with a depth of 10 metres. The Pizarro House & Museum is located in the heart of the old part of Trujillo. This is a 15th century medieval house, with a pointed arch doorway and with the coat of arms of the Pizarros on it, consisting of two bears and a pine tree. This house is a tribute to Francisco Pizarro, conquistador and colonizer of Peru. On the ground floor is the 15th century house, with utensils and furniture of the period. The upper floor consists of models and display cases with objects used by the conquistadors in the Peruvian conquest, as well as ethnographic pieces from the culture of the Incas (Trujillo is 45 km from Cáceres through A-58 motorway; Tourism Office offers three tourist passes for main museums: pass 1 costs 4.70 € and allows free entry to Pizarro House & Museum, Wine Museum, Cheese Museum, castle & church of Santiago; pass 2 costs 5.30 € and allows free entry to Pizarro House & Museum, Wine Museum, Cheese Museum, castle, church of Santiago & church of San Martin; pass 3 costs 7.95 € and allows free entry to Pizarro House & Museum, Wine Museum, Cheese Museum, Costume Museum, castle, Altamirano Palace, church of Santiago, church of San Martin & church of Santa María).
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Elena Nevado
927 01 08 34). Tourist Office, Olmos, 11 (
Taxis:
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SPAIN’S PANTRY
Calle del Duque, 10 (Plaza Mayor). Tapas bar in a lively Place with young enviroment. 
Pintores, 34B. Located near the Plaza de San Juan, it’s perfect for having an appetizer. They have outside tables in summer and daily menus at a good price. Horno Cacereño, 
Plaza de San Juan, 15. It’s a pub-restaurant specialized in iberic cold meats and cheeses. They also serve meat cooked in wood oven. La Abadía, 
Plaza de los Conquistadores, 3. Regional cuisine restaurant with summer terrace and a wide range of combo platters and fresh market cuisine. 
Barrio Nuevo, 6. Traditional vegetarian food and dishes from all over the world, with three dinning rooms, one of them for non-smokers. 
Plaza de San Juan, 9. An ancient restaurant with a tapas-bar on the groundfloor and a small dining room upstairs. A ‘must’ for regional cuisine and home-made wine.
Plaza Duque, 3. Tearoom with muslim ambience, located at the plaza Mayor. Gaudí, 
Av. de la Montaña, 7. Fashion Place perfect for having the first drink. Beerland, 
Plaza del Marrón. One of the most famous Irish pubs in Cáceres. 
Cuesta de Aldana, 6. One of the classic spots in Cáceres, located right in the historical city. In its pleasant yard they offer from breakfasts and meals to painting and photography exhibitions, comedy shows, magic shows, storytellers and cabarets. Farmacia de Guardia, 
Plaza Mayor, 20. A good Place to have a drink, thanks to its large terrace and the views of the city.
Plaza de la Concepción, 13. The owners of this pub, Juanma and Juanjo, had made the Modus probably the most lively one of the city.
