Conference Location
The conference will be held in
Hotel Palácio de Los Velada, Ávila,
Spain.
How to
get to Ávila
Ávila is a medieval city in the province
of Castile-Léon, about 113 kilometers (70 miles) northwest of
Madrid. Founded in the 11th century to protect Spanish territories
from the Moors, Ávila enjoys an authentic medieval atmosphere with
its magnificently preserved city wall, historic cathedral, and a
number of Romanesque churches. The old town of Ávila has been
designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Two things distinguish Avila: its
eleventh-century walls, two perfectly preserved kilometres of which
surround the old town, and the mystic writer Santa Teresa, who was
born here and whose shrines are a major focus of religious
pilgrimage. Set on a high plain, with the peaks of the Sierra de
Gredos behind, the town is quite a sight, especially if you time it
right and approach with the evening sun highlighting the golden tone
of the walls and the details of the 88 towers.
The walls were ordered by Alfonso VI, after his capture of the city
from the Moors in 1090; they took his Muslim prisoners nine years to
construct. At closer quarters, they prove a bit of a facade, as the
old city within is sparsely populated and a little dishevelled, most
of modern life having moved into the new developments outside the
fortifications. However, the fine Romanesque churches dotted in and
about the old city, plus good walks around the walls, make the town
an excellent night's stopover, either combined with El Escorial, or
en route to Salamanca.
Places to
visit in the city of Avila, World Heritage Site
