Plasencia () is a
walled market city in the
province of Cáceres
The province of Cáceres ( ; es, provincia de Cáceres, ) is a province of western Spain, and makes up the northern half of the autonomous community of Extremadura. Its capital is the city of Cáceres. Other cities in the province include Pla ...
,
Extremadura
Extremadura (; ext, Estremaúra; pt, Estremadura; Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is an autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, it ...
, Western
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. , it has a population of 41,047.
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
Antiquity and the Middle Ages
Although Plasencia was not founded until 1186, pieces of pottery found in ''Boquique’s Cave'' provide evidence that this territory was inhabited long before.
Pascual Madoz
Pascual Madoz Ibáñez (May 17, 1806 – December 13, 1870), Spanish politician, statistician, was born at Pamplona.
Biography
In early life Madoz was settled in Barcelona, as a writer and journalist. He envisioned the construction of the ...
's dictionary details that this ancient territory, either called ''Ambroz'' or ''Ambracia'', was originally given the name ''
Ambrosia
In the ancient Greek myths, ''ambrosia'' (, grc, ἀμβροσία 'immortality'), the food or drink of the Greek gods, is often depicted as conferring longevity or immortality upon whoever consumed it. It was brought to the gods in Olympus ...
'' before becoming Plasencia.
In the same year that the city was founded,
Alfonso VIII of Castile
Alfonso VIII (11 November 11555 October 1214), called the Noble (''El Noble'') or the one of Las Navas (''el de las Navas''), was King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. After having suffered a great defeat with his own army at ...
gave the city its independence and the Diocese of Plasencia was created. The original motto of the city, ', means ''to please God and man''. Ten years after its birth, Plasencia was taken over by the
Almohad Caliphate
The Almohad Caliphate (; ar, خِلَافَةُ ٱلْمُوَحِّدِينَ or or from ar, ٱلْمُوَحِّدُونَ, translit=al-Muwaḥḥidūn, lit=those who profess the Tawhid, unity of God) was a North African Berbers, Berber M ...
, a Moroccan Berber-Muslim dynasty that dominated the Iberian peninsula throughout much of the 12th century. King Alfonso VIII and his forces recaptured the city within the same day.
At the end of the 13th century, the Charter of Plasencia was created, allowing the
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
,
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
and
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
people to live peacefully together within the city. This charter prompted the formation of a Jewish community in Plasencia, which became the largest Jewish community in Extremadura at that time and held a considerable amount of economic power.
The ''
regimiento The regimiento, cabildo de regidores or concejo cerrado ("closed council") was a system of local government established from the 14h century onwards in the Crown of Castile.; ; A feature of the progressive oligarchization of the form of government ...
'' system of local government was established in the city by
Alfonso XI of Castile
Alfonso XI (13 August 131126 March 1350), called the Avenger (''el Justiciero''), was King of Castile and León. He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes en ...
on 11 January 1346.
The 15th century was a vital period in Plasencia’s history, because it was at this time that a jurisdiction of lordship was established. In 1442, King
John II of Castile
John II of Castile ( es, link=no, Juan; 6 March 1405 – 20 July 1454) was King of Castile and León from 1406 to 1454. He succeeded his older sister, Maria of Castile, Queen of Aragon, as Prince of Asturias in 1405.
Regency
John was the ...
gifted the city to the
House of Zúñiga
The House of Zúñiga is a Spanish noble lineage who took their name from their domain. Various members of the family were distinguished in the service of the Spanish crown in Europe and the Americas as viceroys, governors, military, diplomats, wr ...
and its right to vote in the
''Cortes'' of Castile was lost. In 1446, the first university in Extremadura was installed in Plasencia, according to the wish of the Bishop. As a result, everyone from the surrounding areas who could afford to study in the university moved to Plasencia.
![Toro de Plasencia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Toro_de_Plasencia.jpg)
In the second half of the 15th century, Plasencia got caught up in some warlike affairs.
Henry IV of Castile
Henry IV of Castile ( Castilian: ''Enrique IV''; 5 January 1425 – 11 December 1474), King of Castile and León, nicknamed the Impotent, was the last of the weak late-medieval kings of Castile and León. During Henry's reign, the nobles became ...
was deposed from the throne in favour of the infant Alfonso after the count of Plasencia stole the sword of this king’s wooden statue, signifying that without the sword, he had no power.
Later in the 15th century
Joanna ''la Beltraneja'' and
Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V () (15 January 1432 – 28 August 1481), known by the sobriquet the African (), was King of Portugal from 1438 until his death in 1481, with a brief interruption in 1477. His sobriquet refers to his military conquests in Northern Africa. ...
were married, making the former queen consort of Portugal, also becoming a claimant to the Crown of Castile.
In 1488, the duke died and his grandson, Álvaro de Zúñiga y Pérez de Guzmán, succeeded him. The nobility took advantage of this situation and rebelled against the House of Zúñiga, trying to recover the power that they had over Plasencia before it was gifted away. The
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of Spain. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being bot ...
,
Ferdinand
Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...
and
Isabella
Isabella may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Isabella (surname), including a list of people
Places
United States
* Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpor ...
, stood by them and made the revolt a success. Ferdinand swore to defend and protect the freedom and charters of Plasencia until his death.
Modern age
![Plasencia medieval](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Plasencia_medieval.jpg)
Plasencia had a certain importance in the American conquest too. Doctors recommended this place to King Ferdinand as the healthiest place in his kingdom and the place where he should establish his residence. The monarch moved here in 1515, and died in
Madrigalejo
Madrigalejo is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2006 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 2075 inhabitants. In this village, Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II ( an, Ferr ...
during his travel to
Guadalupe.
In 1573, the
Bishop of Plasencia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Plasencia ( la, Placentina in Hispania) is a suffragan Latin diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Mérida-Badajoz, in Extremadura, western Spain. ,
Pedro Ponce de León
Dom Pedro Ponce de Leon, O.S.B., (1520–1584) was a Spanish Benedictine monk who is often credited as being "the first teacher for the deaf".
Biography
Ponce de Leon established a school for the deaf at the San Salvador Monastery in Oña. His ...
, donated a significant part of his own library to the monastery of
El Escorial
El Escorial, or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial ( es, Monasterio y Sitio de El Escorial en Madrid), or Monasterio del Escorial (), is a historical residence of the King of Spain located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, u ...
, and a decade later, another bishop had a library formed, containing more than 3,880 works in more than 10,000 volumes.
When the original 18 provinces of Castile arose in 1502, they were established according to their votes in the ''Cortes''. There were no cities in Extremadura with the right of vote, because most of them were property of
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritag ...
. Due to this, the inhabitants of Plasencia decided to buy the right which they previously held, and asked other important cities such as
Alcántara
Alcántara is a municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain, on the Tagus, near Portugal. The toponym is from the Arabic word ''al-Qanṭarah'' (القنطرة) meaning "the bridge".
History
Archaeological findings have atteste ...
,
Badajoz
Badajoz (; formerly written ''Badajos'' in English) is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana. The population ...
,
Cáceres,
Mérida and
Trujillo to help them. This was the moment in which the province of Extremadura was formed.
Contemporary Age
During the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
, Plasencia became a strategic location for
French troops. In June 1808, uprisings occurred which later were ended through murder and lynching of French. Some time later, the inhabitants of Plasencia established a local military junta to defend their own interests; however, the city was overtaken and villages, such as Malpartida, were burnt down. French soldiers took control of Plasencia 12 times by forcible means and apart from the high number of buildings that were destroyed, the inhabitants too were also tortured and killed.
Once the Old Regime was abolished, Extremadura was divided into two different provinces:
Cáceres and
Badajoz
Badajoz (; formerly written ''Badajos'' in English) is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana. The population ...
. Plasencia argued with Cáceres about which of them should be the capital of the province, arguing that it had a higher number of population, it was more affluent and it had the bishop's palace. Despite these advantages, other traits were considered more important and Cáceres was chosen as the capital of the province.
The Restoration was a revolutionary era for Plasencia because the city witnessed many reforms that affected its economy and society. For the first time the city had a drinking water network, public lighting, and an improved sewer system. Furthermore, the agrarian economy evolved into an industrial one thanks to the railway station which was founded in the city. A curiosity of this period, the painter
Joaquín Sorolla
Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida ( va, Joaquim Sorolla i Bastida, 27 February 1863 – 10 August 1923) was a Spanish Valencian painter. Sorolla excelled in the painting of portraits, landscapes and monumental works of social and historical themes. Hi ...
immortalized the city in his painting ' in 1917, in which you can see the landscape of the city from the
river Jerte
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
.
During the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
, the military uprising of 1936 led by
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War ...
rapidly swept Plasencia. The Lieutenant Colonel José Puente took control of the city easily, and as a result, the
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
prisoners were forced to build one of the city’s most famous parks, The Pines Park.
The final chapter of the 20th century was an extraordinary period for Plasencia and its development; the number of inhabitants has tripled in the last 60 years, and during this period of time many public works have been constructed including the hospital Virgen del Pueto, the reservoir of Plasencia, the Municipal Sport Centre and many useful roads. In addition, several university degrees are offered at the present university campus.
File:Sorolla-5.jpg, ''The market'', oil painting by Joaquín Sorolla
Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida ( va, Joaquim Sorolla i Bastida, 27 February 1863 – 10 August 1923) was a Spanish Valencian painter. Sorolla excelled in the painting of portraits, landscapes and monumental works of social and historical themes. Hi ...
showing an image of the city in 1917.
File:Alcázar de Plasencia.jpg, Alcázar of Plasencia before its demolition in 1941
Main sights
![Acueducto plasencia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Acueducto_plasencia.JPG)
* The double line of walls, with six gates and 68 towers, dating to 1197. The Keep (or ') was demolished in 1941.
* Remains of a 16C
aqueduct, locally called ''Arcos de San Antón''.
* ''Las Catedrales'', a complex of two cathedrals. In 1189, by request of Alfonso VIII, Plasencia was declared head of dioceses by
Pope Clement III
Pope Clement III ( la, Clemens III; 1130 – 20 March 1191), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 December 1187 to his death in 1191. He ended the conflict between the Papacy and the city of Rome, by all ...
and work on a
Romanesque Cathedral started shortly after, concluding sometime in the 18th century, by which time fashions had changed and
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
elements had been added in the forms of pointed arches to the
Nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
and a
rose window
Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' w ...
to the main South Entrance, while the cloister, on the East side bordering the city walls, was entirely 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
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
elements had been added such as the East Entrance and the elaborate Choir Seating, while the local style of the period,
Plateresque
Plateresque, meaning "in the manner of a silversmith" (''plata'' being silver in Spanish), was an artistic movement, especially architectural, developed in Spain and its territories, which appeared between the late Gothic and early Renaissance in ...
, is present in the West (main) and the Presbytery Entrances. Work continued until the 18th century, when, with only the
Sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
and the
Transept
A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building withi ...
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 ' 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. In the Main Chapel, there is an altarpiece by
Gregorio Fernández
Gregorio Fernández (April 1576 – 22 January 1636) was a Spanish Baroque sculptor. He belongs to the Castilian school of sculpture, following the style of other great artists like Alonso Berruguete, Juan de Juni, Pompeyo Leoni, and Juan de Arf ...
(17th century), and the choir by
Rodrigo Alemán.
* The Museum, near the Cathedral, is home to artworks by
Jusepe de Ribera
Jusepe de Ribera (1591 – 1652) was a painter and printmaker, who along with Francisco de Zurbarán, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and the singular Diego Velázquez, are regarded as the major artists of Spanish Baroque painting. Referring to ...
and
Luis de Morales
Luis de Morales (1509 – 9 May 1586) was a Spanish painter active during the Spanish Renaissance in the 16th century. Known as "El Divino", most of his work was of religious subjects, including many representations of the Madonna and Child and ...
.
* Renaissance Town Hall, in the '
* ' (16th–18th centuries)
* ' (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
Luis de Morales (1509 – 9 May 1586) was a Spanish painter active during the Spanish Renaissance in the 16th century. Known as "El Divino", most of his work was of religious subjects, including many representations of the Madonna and Child and ...
(1570).
* Church and convent of ''Santo Domingo'' (St. Dominic, mid-15th century)
* Church of ''San Esteban'' (15th century), with an apse in
Gothic style
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
. The high altar is transitional Plateresque-Baroque style.
* Sanctuary of ', some 5 kilometers from the city, begun in the 15th century but finished three centuries later.
*Nature resorts include the
Monfragüe
Monfragüe (Spanish: ''Parque Nacional Monfragüe'') is a Spanish national park noted for its bird-life. It is situated in the center of a triangle formed by Plasencia, Trujillo and the city of Cáceres within the province of Cáceres. Monfra ...
National Park.
*
Canchos de Ramiro y Ladronera Protected Area.
Transportation
Plasencia had three cit
bus routes
Culture
![Tamborileros plasencia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Tamborileros_plasencia.JPG)
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 ', first Sunday after Easter Sunday
* Fair of the Cherry-tree in flower El Jerte Valley
See also
*
Roman Catholic Diocese of Plasencia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Plasencia ( la, Placentina in Hispania) is a suffragan Latin diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Mérida-Badajoz, in Extremadura, western Spain.
Notable residents
Plasencia was the birthplace of:
* Journalist and TV presenter
Raquel Sánchez-Silva
Raquel Sánchez Silva (born 13 January 1973 in Plasencia, Cáceres, Spain) is a Spanish television presenter and writer.
After studying journalism, she started working for a local television in Plasencia. After that, she was a news anchor on Te ...
(b. 1973)
* Rock guitarist, songwriter, singer and bandleader
Roberto Iniesta
Roberto Iniesta Ojea (; born May 16, 1962), also known as Robe; is a Spanish songwriter, singer and guitarist. He was the frontman of the rock band Extremoduro and is currently active as a solo artist.
Biography
Roberto Iniesta Ojea was born on 1 ...
(b. 1962)
* Bishop
Cipriano Calderón Polo
Cipriano Calderón Polo (1 December 1927 – 4 February 2009) was a Spanish prelate of the Catholic Church who worked as a journalist, editor, spokesperson, and administrator as an expert in explaining Church affairs to the Spanish-language public ...
- vice president
emeritus
''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
of
Pontifical Commission for Latin America
The Pontifical Commission for Latin America is a department of the Roman Curia that since 1958 has been charged with providing assistance to and examining matters pertaining to the Catholic Church in Latin America. The Commission operates under th ...
(1927–2009)
* ''
Conquistador
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, O ...
a'' (female conquistador)
Inés de Suárez — participated in the Conquest of Chile (c. 1507–1580)
References
;Citations
;Bibliography
*
External links
Official websiteVer Extremadura
* Plasencia is the subject of th
Revealing Cooperation and Conflict Projecttrying to create a virtual 3D model and database describing the city in the time between 1390-1420 CE.
*
*
{{Authority control