Image of the Plaza Mayor in Cáceres
Visiting Cáceres is contemplating living history, since it was founded as a city by the Romans in the 1229st century BC. Ravaged by the Visigoths, it was reborn with the Arabs and was conquered by the Christians in XNUMX, who gave it the status of a town directly under the command of the Lion crown.
The aristocracy of Cáceres was important in the times of the Catholic Monarchs and Carlos I. Then it lived through a period of decadence to reappear in the XNUMXth century with the establishment in it of the Royal Court of Extremadura and the arrival of emigrants from other parts of Spain. . Its development continued in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries. Of all this has remained in Cáceres an extraordinary monumental heritage that you will surely be interested in knowing.
The monuments you must visit in Cáceres
The rich history of the Extremaduran city is reflected in the wide set of monuments that you can see in it. However, by itself, the old town it deserves a visit to Cáceres, since it is Heritage since 1986. We are going to start our tour of the town.
Old City of Cáceres
The old town of Cáceres has its nucleus in the space delimited by the old roman walls (It is what is known as the Old or Monumental City), but it also has historical buildings outside of those.
In turn, the nerve center of the Old City is the junction of the Plaza de los Golfines and the Plaza de Santa María, which make up a large space full of monuments. This area dominates the co-cathedral of Santa María, an early Gothic marvel in which Romanesque manners can still be seen. However, its only tower is Renaissance and is crowned by a statue of San Pedro de Alcántara.
But, if you are going to like its exterior, it will impress you even more on the inside. Precious is the main altarpiece, in the Plateresque style, to which the front of the sacristy also belongs. Regarding the chapels, in that of the Blázquez you can see the carving of the so-called Black Christ of Cáceres, dated in the fourteenth century, and in that of San Miguel you have a beautiful baroque altarpiece. An organ from 1703 culminates the beauties of this temple that is Historic Artistic Monument 1931 since.
Image of the Palace of the Veletas
On the other hand, around the cathedral, you can see several palaces and aristocratic houses. Among the former, the Carvajal palace, built in the XNUMXth century; the Episcopal and Hernando de Ovando, both Renaissance and the Golfines de Abajo, which combines this style with reminiscences of Gothic.
Other buildings of interest in the Old City are the Gothic church of San Mateo; the Palace of the Storks, with its stylized tower; the Palace of the Veletas, where you can see the oldest Almohad cistern in the city; the House of the Horses, which was the former's stables, and the House of the Sun, with its characteristic machicolation on the façade. You can even go into the Old Jewish Quarter of Cáceres.
Main square
But Cáceres, like other towns of Extremadura, still offers you many other monuments. In close competition with the aforementioned area, is the Plaza Mayor, located in the eastern part of the wall. This is precisely crossed by the Star Arch, whose origins date back to the XNUMXth century, but which was remodeled in the XNUMXth century by Manuel de Lara y Churriguera.
In the southern part of the square is the Foro de los Balbos with the pillar of San Francisco, a Plateresque drinking trough from the XNUMXth century. But the great attraction of this space is the imposing Bujaco tower, an Arab construction culminated by battlements.
Image of the Arch of the Star
Santiago square
Highlights in it church of Santiago de los Caballeros and Francisco de Godoy palace. But, in its surroundings you will also find the building of the Royal Audience, built in the XNUMXth century, the Coria tower and the Socorro arch, the palaces of the counts of Santa Olalla and the Marquis of Camarena or the house of La Culebra, among other monuments.
San Juan square
It is chaired by the church of San Juan de los Ovejeros, which is framed by different palaces or noble houses such as that of the Marquis de Oquendo, that of the Marquis de Monroy and the house of Ovando Espaderos. Very close to this square you will also find the Gran Teatro, a beautiful building from the second half of the XNUMXth century. And, a little further afield, the Mochada Tower and hermitages such as Las Candelas or San Ildefonso.
As you can see, there are many monuments that you must see in Cáceres. But the Extremaduran city also offers you magnificent landscapes and gastronomy.
natural caceres
Cáceres is located between the Sierra de la Mosca and the Sierrilla. Therefore, its surroundings offer you beautiful landscapes and natural environments. In this sense, the Los Arenales complex, formed by three lagoons to the west of the city.
On the other hand, if you like Ornithology, in Cáceres you have a vein. It has eight special protection zones for birds. And in them the lesser kestrel population stands out.
Image of the Episcopal Palace of Cáceres
Cáceres gastronomy
The gastronomy of Cáceres is the result of the combination of Castilian cuisine with vestiges of Arabic and Sephardic. In addition, many of the products that are produced in the province have a designation of origin, which further improves its gastronomy. This is the case of Iberian ham, paprika from La Vera, Torta del Casar or cherry from Jerte.
Among the dishes that you can taste in Cáceres and that will not leave you indifferent is the chanfaina, a stew made with lamb or pork, onion, bay leaf, chilli and some type of legume that can be beans or potatoes. You will also like the fried, with potatoes, lamb and paprika; the Extremadura stew; pickled potatoes with tench and Extremadura crumbs.
Like sweet desserts, you have the little dogs, the florets or the pestiños. And, to wash the food, you have the magnificent wines from the Ribera del Guadiana and the Land of Extremadura, the two wine appellations of origin of Cáceres.
In short, there is a lot you have to see in Cáceres. And the best thing is that, due to its geographical location, it is close to many other Spanish cities. Therefore, you can visit it on a weekend or a long weekend.