Fire is the History of Zamora and its people, privileged stage and main actors on many occasions. A History that continues to bear so much importance in this land that as it ennobles, it devours, as would a fire.
We shall see it in its appearance and its monuments, marks of life past, which, for different reasons, it has managed to rescue from destruction with more success than other Spanish cities. Today, Zamora is rich in remembrance and artistic heritage, a deep root on which to secure its present and its future.

ZAMORA

The historical quarter of Zamora stands on a plateau at almost 700 m above sea level. It is flanked by the Crags of Santa Marta, the famous “Peñas Tajadas (Chopped Crags)”, and by the River Duero, the main symbol of the city. In Roman times, the city was occupied by the Vacceo people and crossed by the “Via de la Plata”, which joined up with a branch-road that led to “Caesarea Augusta” (Zaragoza). The Vacceos and their Lusitanian neighbours shared their struggles against Rome and it is for this reason that Zamora has adopted as her own, Viriatus, a Lusitanian hero who, according to legend, was born in this province.
The Middle Ages were a period of greatness for Zamora. Its location, so well-placed for protection, and its situation on the banks of the Duero and near lands that are today part of Portugal, have led it to play a strategic role in History over the centuries. Razed by the Moslems, Zamora emphasised its defensive character after the repopulation in the 9th century, with the construction of a castle and walls. From then on, it was to become “Zamora, the well-enclosed city”, as named in the ballads of the time, and was a bastion against the Moslems from the south of the Duero. It was during this medieval period, between the 12th and 13th centuries, when the city reaches its maximum splendour, as seen in the building of a large number of churches, especially Romanic in style, and the extension of its walls, which were to be completed in the 14th century.
The tense relations between the kingdoms of León and Castile until their union, as is faithfully reflected in the Spanish Ballads, together with the confrontations, from the 12th century on, between the nobility and the up and coming bourgeoisie, and the proximity of Portugal, also left their mark on the history of Zamora. The closeness to Portugal provoked serious disputes when the Portuguese defended different flags or sought their own identity as a nation. However, there were also long periods of neighbourly relations – merchant and cultural contacts, etc. – which were beneficial to both sides.
Before entering Zamora, we suggest contemplating the city from the opposite bank of the river, not too far from the Piedra Bridge, in order to appreciate the whole of the Old City, where the Duero, the Cathedral walls and the Castle tower make up the most emblematic image of the city.
Afterwards, it is best to cross the river and head for the nearby Plaza de Santa Lucía. Here, we find the Cordón Palace, an austere and beautiful building from the 16th century, with a main front decorated by the Franciscan cordon. Its interior holds the Provincial Museum of Zamora. This is entered via the Plaza de San Cipriano; the visitor may find its archaeological and artistic sections replete with important traces of the different periods of the History of Zamora.
On leaving, we may admire the Duero from the Plaza de San Cipriano viewpoint, and go down once again towards the river, turning right to go round the historical quarter, following the exterior of its walls, which show the red, yellow and violet colours of the rock on which the city is built: the “puddingstone of Zamora”.
Via the “Subida de las Peñas de Santa Marta”, we reach one of the 19 gates of the walls: the so-called Puerta del Obispo (the Bishop’s Gate), due to its proximity to the Bishop’s Palace. It is one of the oldest (11th century) and has strategic importance given its proximity to the former bridge, which is now in ruins. We may choose whether or not to go through into the walled part of the city. If we do, we shall come across the Bishop’s Palace, rebuilt in the 18th century, and opposite, the so-called House of El Cid. This is a building, partly from the 11th and 12th centuries, where, according to tradition, Arias Gonzalo, the governor of Zamora, lived. As ballads would have it, he was the tutor and teacher to the princesses Urraca and Elvira, and to El Cid Campeador. We are now nearing the Cathedral.
If there is time to spare, it is best not to cross the Puerta del Obispo, but rather to follow the walls along Trascastillo, skirting round the rock on which the Cathedral and fortress stand. Then, along the Portillo de la Traición, from where the ballads say the traitor Bellido Dolfos came out to assassinate King Don Sancho, we may enter the city to see the exhibition of “The Ages of Man”.
Once we have visited the exhibition, we may admire the exterior of the cathedral.
The Cathedral of Zamora is built upon the land that was occupied by the Visigoth temple of El Salvador. It was projected to be of full Romanic style, but due to its long construction process it was adapted to late Romanic and Gothic styles. It was founded in 1139 under the patronage of King Alphonso VII and consecrated in 1174. From this moment on, a change to the Gothic style may be appreciated.
The most original part of its architecture is its dome, which combines techniques from western Romanic style with elements of Byzantine origin. Above its dome, which illuminates the transept, is the beautiful gallooned cupola, set on four small towers crowned with bulbous cupolas. Its interior has been chosen as the “symbol” for the poster of the Zamora exhibition of “The Ages of Man”. Another interesting element is the five-sectioned bell-tower, with a clear Romanic structure, but built late.
The Romanic so–called Puerta del Obispo façade, to the south of the transept is the most outstanding of its fronts. It has two beautiful reliefs which represent Our Lady seated with the baby Jesus and, Saints Peter and John. The main north façade is classicist from the beginning of the 12th century; it was built after the cathedral was damaged by fire.
From the cathedral, we head along the Rua de los Notarios, past the Plaza de los Cientos, up to where it crosses Calle San Martín, where we find the church of San Ildefonso. This is one of the oldest areas of the city, in which Roman ruins have been discovered and, under the church, a burial from the time of the Visigoths, with coins that carry the inscription “SEMURE”, possibly the origin of the word ZAMORA and related to a mint of the city. This church is the object of great devotion due to the fact that it contains relics of San Ildefonso and San Atilano, the first bishop of Zamora. Built in the 11th century, it has undergone numerous alterations during its time. Of special interest, the interior holds a multicoloured stone front from the end of the 13th century and two Gothic sepulchres.
Continuing along the Rua de los Francos, a few metres away, we come across the church of La Magdalena, which is the most beautiful Romanic church in the city. It was built between the 12th and 13th centuries and belonged to the Hospital Order. Its south wall has one of the most adorned façades of the Romanic art of Zamora. Inside, its late-Romanic character is noted in the great height and ribbed ceiling of the upper end. Also worthy of note is the beautiful Gothic-Romanic canopied sepulchre of a lady, set on columns with capitals of mythological origin.
Opposite this church stands the convent of Corpus Christi, whose interior holds worship to the statue of Our Lady of El Tránsito, patron saint of the city, and which, according to tradition, was sculpted by the angels in the 12th century.
Following the Rua de los Francos, on our right we come across the church of La Concepción, with its sober baroque façade. A few metres on is the Plaza de Viriato, presided by a bronze sculpture of the famous Lusitanian warrior. Around this square is the palace of the Count and Countess of Alba and Aliste, a Renaissance building with an interesting façade and patio, which was later a hospice and is nowadays the Parador Nacional de Turismo.
Opposite the Parador, stands the hospital of La Encarnación, presently home to the Provincial Council. The front of the chapel is presided by a relief of the Annunciation and its interior contains an excellent altarpiece from the 16th century.
Behind the Provincial Council offices, we have the church of Santa María la Nueva. It is of Romanic style and has a upper end from the 11th century. The rest of the church was rebuilt in the 12th century after the fire started by the so-called “motín de la trucha (trout riot)”. This was a confrontation between the nobles and craftsmen of the city which came about as a result of a dispute regarding the purchase of some trout. The conflict ended with the nobles being locked in the church and the craftsmen setting fire to the building. The church has one nave with band arches and a semi-circular apse. Inside, the large capital that presently supports the altar table, together with the recumbent Christ that was for a long time thought to be by Gregorio Fernández and, at its feet, a vaulted room with a 13th century font are worthy of special note. There are also remains of Gothic paintings.
Nearby is the Holy Week Museum, where a large number of the statues involved in the processions of the Zamora Holy Week are on show. Behind the museum lies the Ronda de Santa María la Nueva, located at the foot of the city walls. From this road, we may take Calle de Ramón Álvarea to get to the Plaza Mayor, where, apart from the City Hall building, we may see the church of San Juan de Puerta Nueva, from the 12th and 13th centuries. It has a noteworthy façade with a front with three archivolts, with leaf decoration and a stone rose window.
Setting out from the Plaza Mayor, we have the possibility of following four different routes:
The first takes us along the Calle de Santa Clara, where we may discover a series of modernist houses from the beginning of the 20th century, which show how the Zamora flour industry progressed after the First World War. They are built of poor materials, with glass balconies at the sides and decorative motifs such as medallions and caryatids. Continuing along this street, we may visit the church of Santiago de Burgo, built between the 12th and 13th centuries. Beside alterations during the 19th century, it is one of the most complete examples of the Romanic style in Zamora. Its exterior is of special note thanks to its north façade, but its interior is where its transitional Romanic-Gothic character is best seen: a barrel vault with bands in the central nave and an arris with pointed arches at the sides. The capitals are varied and refined.
A second route, which leaves the Plaza mayor along the Calle de San Torcuato, offers the Sanabria Palace on the left, popularly known as the Momos (funny faces) palace. It is not known whether this is due to the representations portrayed on its façade, or to the characters holding the coat of arms. It is one of the most important 16th century civil buildings as far as Hispano-Flemish architecture is concerned. Only its façade, with its heraldic decoration and flamboyant Gothic style windows, is preserved. Further along our route is the church of San Torcuato, which has an important baroque altarpiece.
Setting out from the Plaza Mayor, it is also possible to visit the church of San Andrés, which stands in the street of the same name. Situated in the walled area of the city, it was rebuilt in the 16th century by Don Antonio Sotelo, who accompanied Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. Its austere façade hides the wealth and sumptuous nature of its interior. Of special note are its Mudejar lace-work roof and its magnificent Romanist altarpiece, as well as the funeral chapel of Sotelo, with a statue at prayer by Pompeyo Leoni. Also worthy of note is the grille of the chapel of Los Hurtado, from the 16th century, and the sepulchre of Bishop Zapata, with its multicoloured statue at prayer.
The last route, as we leave the Plaza Mayor, takes us towards the poorer areas, near the Duero, where, as the street names show, the craftsman’s area of Zamora was located and developed – silversmiths, blacksmiths, cobblers, tinkers, etc. – and which was to seek protection from the last stretch of the city walls during the 14th century. Along the typical street of Calle Balborraz, we come to the church of Santa María de la Horta. Built in the last third of the 12th century, it belonged to the Hospital Knights. The most important aspect of its exterior is its south façade. Its interior, of one sole nave, holds a special main horseshoe-like arch. Worthy of contemplation is the Romanic altar and the Cristo de la Expiración, which is to be found in the chapel of Los Vega. Nearby is the 12th century Romanic church of Santo Tomé.