Plasencia
Encyclopedia
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
, Western Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. , it had a population of 41,447.
Situated on the bank of the Jerte River, Plasencia has a historic quarter that is a consequence of the city's strategic location along the Silver Route, or Ruta de la Plata. Since the 15th century, the noblemen of the region began to move to Plasencia, defining its current appearance.
History
Founded as a city in 1186 by King Alfonso VIII of CastileAlfonso VIII of Castile
Alfonso VIII , called the Noble or el de las Navas, was the King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. He is most remembered for his part in the Reconquista and the downfall of the Almohad Caliphate...
on the banks of the Jerte as a city-fortress, with the double purpose of colonizing and guarding the then south-western border of the Kingdom, it fell briefly to the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
of Yaqub al-Mansur in 1196, being reconquered by the Christians the year after.
The city remained under direct Royal rule until John II of Castile
John II of Castile
John II was King of Castile from 1406 to 1454.He was the son of Henry III of Castile and his wife Catherine of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster by Constance of Castile, daughter of King Peter of Castile.-Regency:He succeeded his father on 25 December 1406, at the age of...
gave it to the House of Zúñiga in 1442 abolishing its Fuero. This encountered the opposition of both the local nobles and the general population and resulted in periodical revolts throughout the second half of the 15th century. In this hostile climate against the crown, in 1475 Plasencia played host to the wedding of 13-year-old Princess Joan La Betraneja, pretender to the throne of Castile and her ambitious uncle King Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V KG , called the African , was the twelfth King of Portugal and the Algarves. His sobriquet refers to his conquests in Northern Africa.-Early life:...
. After La Beltraneja's cause was defeated in the Battle of Toro
Battle of Toro
The Battle of Toro was a Royal battle from the War of the Castilian Succession, fought on 1 March 1476, near the city of Toro, between the Castilian troops of the Catholic Monarchs and the Portuguese-Castilian forces of Afonso V and Prince John....
, Plasencia paid the penalty and the Castilian Crown capped the towers of the nobles' palaces. The Fuero was eventually restored in 1488. The shortened tower of the venue of the wedding, La Casa de Las Argollas, is still standing in Calle del Rey, just off Plaza Mayor.
Main sights
- The double line of walls, with six gates and 68 towers, dating to 1197. The Keep (or Alcázar) was demolished in 1941.
- Remains of the Roman aqueductRoman aqueductThe Romans constructed numerous aqueducts to serve any large city in their empire, as well as many small towns and industrial sites. The city of Rome had the largest concentration of aqueducts, with water being supplied by eleven aqueducts constructed over a period of about 500 years...
- Les Catedrales, a complex of two cathedrals. In 1189, by request of Alfonso VIII, Plasencia was declared head of dioceses by Pope Clement IIIPope Clement IIIPope Clement III , born Paulino Scolari, was elected Pope on December 19, 1187 and reigned until his death.-Cardinal:...
and work on a RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
Cathedral started shortly after, concluding sometime in the 18th century, by which time fashions had changed and GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
elements had been added in the forms of pointed archs to the NaveNaveIn Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and a rose windowRose windowA Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
to the main South Entrance, while the cloister, on the East side bordering the city walls, was enterely Gothic. In the 15th century the Dioceses decided to build a grand Gothic Cathedral in the same site, demolishing the old cathedral as the new one was being built. Work started in 1498 and by the 16th century, standard RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
elements had been added such as the East Entrance and the elaborate Choir Seating, while the local style of the period, PlateresquePlateresquePlateresque, meaning "in the manner of a silversmith" , was an artistic movement, especially architectural, traditionally held to be exclusive to Spain and its territories, which appeared between the late Gothic and early Renaissance in the late 15th century, and spread over the next two centuries...
, is present in the West (main) and the Presbytery Entrances. Work continued until the 18th century, when, with only the SanctuarySanctuaryA sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
and the TranseptTranseptFor the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
of the New Cathedral finished, the project was abandoned leaving behind a somewhat odd result, as most of the Nave of the Old Cathedral, its cloister and its unique Octagonal Tower housing the Sala Capitular Chapel is still attached to the New Cathedral, while the new choir, that was supposed to stand along the New Nave, was positioned across the transept. - The Museum, near the Cathedral, is home to artworks by Jusepe de Ribera and Luis de MoralesLuis de MoralesLuis de Morales was a Spanish painter born in Badajoz, Extremadura. Known as "El Divino", most of his work was of religious subjects, including many representations of the Madonna and Child and the Passion....
. - Renaissance Town Hall, in the Plaza Mayor
- Casa consistorial (16th-18th centuries)
- Palacio de los marqueses de Mirabel (16th century) with a two-order court
- Church of San Martín (13th century). It has a nave and two aisles, and a retablo by Luis de Morales (1570).
- Church and convent of Santo Domingo (St. Dominic, mid-15th century)
- Church of San Esteban (15th century), with an apse in Gothic styleGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
. The high altar is transitional Plateresque-Baroque style. - Sanctuary of Virgen del Puerto, some 5 kilometers from the city, begun in the 15th century but finished three centuries later.
- Monastery of San Jeronimo de Yuste, where emperor Charles VCharles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
died in 1558, and the castle of Jarandilla de la VeraJarandilla de la VeraJarandilla de la Vera is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2005 census , the municipality has a population of 3,080 inhabitants....
(15th century). Nature resorts include the MonfragueMonfragüeMonfragüe is a comarca of Extremadura, western Spain, which contains the most recently designated of the country's fourteen National Parks ....
Natural Park. - Canchos de Ramiro y Ladronera Protected Area.
Culture
The specialities of the local cuisine include "migas" (breadcrumbs with Spanish sausage and bacon), casseroles, stews and tench, an exceptional freshwater game fish.Festivals include:
- June fair, at the beginning of the month
- Martes Mayor, the first Tuesday of August
- Procession and Festivities of la Virgen del Puerto Plasencia, first Sunday after Easter Sunday
- Fair of the Cherry-tree in flower El Jerte Valley
Notable residents
Plasencia was the birthplace of:- Rock guitarist, songwriter, singer and bandleader Roberto Iniesta (b. 1962)
- Bishop Cipriano Calderón Polo - vice president emeritusEmeritusEmeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
of Pontifical Commission for Latin AmericaPontifical Commission for Latin AmericaThe Pontifical Commission for Latin America is a department of the Roman Curia. Established by Pope Pius XII on 19 April, 1958, it is charged with providing assistance to and examining matters pertaining to the Church in Latin America...
(1927 - 2009) - ConquistadorConquistadorConquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
a (female conquistador) Inés de SuárezInés SuárezInés de Suárez, also called Inés Suárez, was a Spanish conquistadora and mistress to Pedro de Valdivia who participated in the Conquest of Chile, successfully defending Santiago against a Mapuche attack in 1541...
- participated in the Conquest of Chile (c. 1507–1580)