Current Time in Ávila, Spain

Ávila is a historic city in west-central Spain, the capital of the Province of Ávila in the Castile and León autonomous community, situated on a high plateau at an altitude of about 1,130 meters above sea level — the highest provincial capital in Spain. Famous above all for its medieval walls, the best-preserved complete circuit of medieval city walls in the world, Ávila is a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose old city and its extra-muros churches stand as an exceptional testimony to medieval Castilian civilization.

With a population of approximately 58,000, Ávila is a relatively small city whose fame rests on the extraordinary completeness of its medieval heritage. The city walls, built in the late 11th and early 12th centuries after the Christian reconquest, extend for 2.5 kilometers in a virtually complete circuit around the old city, reinforced by 88 semicircular towers and pierced by nine gates. Walking along the top of the walls (accessible from several points) provides panoramic views over the surrounding Gredos mountains and the ancient city within. The walls are among the most impressive surviving examples of Romanesque military architecture in Europe.

Ávila was the birthplace of Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582), one of the most important figures in the history of the Catholic Church — a mystic, reformer, writer, and Doctor of the Church. Her presence permeates the city: the Convent of the Incarnation, where she spent much of her religious life, the Convent of Saint Teresa built over her birthplace, and the Cathedral of Ávila all bear the stamp of her biography and theology. The cathedral, a transitional Romanesque-Gothic structure that forms part of the city walls with its apse incorporated into the defensive circuit, houses the tomb of Bishop Alonso de Madrigal (El Tostado) and an important collection of religious art.

The extra-muros churches — the Basilica of San Vicente, a magnificent Romanesque structure of warm sandstone begun in the 12th century outside the walls; the Monastery of Santo Tomás, the royal summer palace and mausoleum of the Catholic Monarchs' only son Prince Juan — are among the most significant monuments in Spain for Romanesque and Isabelline Gothic architecture. The Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás also contains a remarkable collection of Asian art and natural history specimens brought from the Philippines.

Ávila's cuisine reflects its high Castilian location and agricultural traditions. Chuletón (T-bone steak) from the local Avileña cattle breed, roast veal, and the sweet yemas de Santa Teresa (egg-yolk confections named after the saint) are the most celebrated local specialties. The city is cold in winter and pleasantly cool in summer, making it a popular escape from the Madrid heat.

Ávila is about 110 kilometers northwest of Madrid, connected by the AVE high-speed train (about 80 minutes) and by the A6 and A50 motorways. The old city is compact and easily explored on foot.

Ávila is a city of silent grandeur and spiritual depth, where the medieval world has been preserved in extraordinary completeness against the high Castilian sky.