Guía básica de Plasencia. Ciudad monumental (viajarporextremadura.com)
Guía básica de Plasencia.
Murallas, acueducto y diversión (viajarporextremadura.com)
Plasencia es una ciudad y municipio español de la provincia de Cáceres, situada en el norte de la comunidad autónoma de Extremadura. El municipio, que no forma mancomunidad con los pueblos que le rodean, geográficamente limita con poblaciones de seis mancomunidades: Valle del Jerte, La Vera, Monfragüe y su entorno, Valle del Alagón, Valle del Ambroz y Trasierra - Tierras de Granadilla. Físicamente, la ciudad se halla en la puerta de entrada al Valle del Jerte, a pesar de que oficialmente no pertenece al mismo ya que los cuatro grandes núcleos de población en Extremadura (Badajoz, Cáceres, Mérida y Plasencia) no se encuentran adscritos a ninguna comarca ni mancomunidad.
Fue fundada como ciudad por el rey Alfonso VIII de Castilla en 1186. Su establecimiento en el lugar se debía a razones de estrategia militar propias de la Reconquista, pues a escasos kilómetros de la ciudad se hallaban las fronteras castellanas con el reino de León al oeste y con los musulmanes al sur. La frontera con los leoneses estaba marcada en esta zona por la vía de la Plata, una importante calzada romana que hoy se usa como ruta de senderismo. Hasta el siglo XIX, fue la capital del sexmo de Plasencia, comunidad que llegó a abarcar la cuarta parte del territorio de la actual provincia. Pese a no haber tenido más de veinte mil habitantes hasta el censo de 1960, en la ciudad han ocurrido acontecimientos importantes como la boda de Juana la Beltraneja en la Guerra de Sucesión Castellana y la iniciativa de compra del voto en Cortes que dio lugar a la creación de la provincia de Extremadura en 1653.
La economía del municipio se basa principalmente en el sector servicios, pues en la ciudad hay más de mil establecimientos comerciales. Es importante el turismo, pues su conjunto histórico está declarado bien de interés cultural. La ciudad posee un centro universitario dependiente de la Universidad de Extremadura en el que se estudian cuatro titulaciones de grado.
Plasencia se encuentra 83 km al norte de Cáceres, 150 km al norte de Mérida y 70 km al este de la frontera con Portugal.
Plasencia cuenta con un destacado conjunto monumental. El conjunto histórico de la ciudad está declarado bien de interés cultural desde 1958, y en distintos momentos han sido incluidos a título individual en la lista de bienes de interés cultural tres monumentos placentinos: la catedral de Santa María, el palacio Carvajal-Girón y el palacio de Mirabel. Además, son candidatos al título de bien de interés cultural la iglesia y convento de Santo Domingo, la iglesia de San Nicolás, la iglesia del Salvador, el santuario de la Virgen del Puerto y la plaza de toros.
La ciudad de Plasencia presentó en octubre de 2008 una candidatura conjunta con Trujillo, el parque nacional de Monfragüe y la dehesa extremeña para conseguir la declaración de Patrimonio de la Humanidad que otorga la Unesco. La candidatura fue incluida en octubre de ese mismo año por el Consejo Nacional de Patrimonio Histórico en la lista indicativa de lugares que optan a dicho nombramiento. Sin embargo, en julio de 2009 el Consejo de Patrimonio Histórico decidió que la candidata española a dicha consideración sería la sierra de Tramontana.
Plasencia - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre
Información turística de Plasencia en Cáceres - Plasencia Turismo
Plasencia is a walled market city in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Western Spain. As of 2013, 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.
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's dictionary details that this ancient territory, either called Ambroz or Ambracia, was originally given the name Ambrosia before becoming Plasencia.
In the same year that the city was founded, Alfonso VIII of Castile gave the city its independence and the Diocese of Plasencia was created. The original motto of the city, Ut placeat Deo et Hominibus, means to please God and man. Ten years after its birth, Plasencia was taken over by the Almohad Caliphate, 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, Muslim and Jewish 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 system of local government was established in the city by Alfonso XI of Castile 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 gifted the city to the House of Zúñiga 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.
In the second half of the 15th century, Plasencia got caught up in some warlike affairs. Henry IV of Castile 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 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, Ávaro de Zuñiga y Perez 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, Ferdinand and Isabella, stood by them and made the revolt a success. Ferdinand swore to defend and protect the freedom and charters of Plasencia until his death.
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 during his travel to Guadalupe.
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. Due to this, the inhabitants of Plasencia decided to buy the right which they previously held, and asked other important cities such as Alcántara, Badajoz, Cáceres, Mérida and Trujillo to help them. This was the moment in which the province of Extremadura was formed.
During the Peninsular War, 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. 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 immortalized the city in his painting El mercado in 1917, in which you can see the landscape of the city from the river Jerte.
During the Spanish Civil War, the military uprising of 1936 led by Francisco Franco rapidly swept Plasencia. The Lieutenant Colonel José Puente took control of the city easily, and as a result, the Republican 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 Puerto, the reservoir of Plasencia, the Municipal Sport Centre and many useful roads. In addition, several university degrees are offered at the present university campus.
Main sights:
The double line of walls, with six gates and 68 towers, dating to 1197. The Keep (or Alcázar) 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 and work on a Romanesque Cathedral started shortly after, concluding sometime in the 18th century, by which time fashions had changed and Gothic elements had been added in the forms of pointed arches to the Nave and a rose window 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 elements had been added such as the East Entrance and the elaborate Choir Seating, while the local style of the period, Plateresque, is present in the West (main) and the Presbytery Entrances. Work continued until the 18th century, when, with only the Sanctuary and the Transept 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 Sala Capitular 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 (17th century), and the choir by Rodrigo Alemán.
The Museum, near the Cathedral, is home to artworks by Jusepe de Ribera and Luis de Morales.
Renaissance Town Hall, in the Plaza Mayor
Casa consistorial (16th–18th centuries)
Palacio de los marqueses de Mirabel (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 (1570).
Church and convent of Santo Domingo (St. Dominic, mid-15th century)
Church of San Esteban (15th century), with an apse in Gothic style. The high altar is transitional Plateresque-Baroque style.
Sanctuary of Virgen del Puerto, some 5 kilometers from the city, begun in the 15th century but finished three centuries later.
Nature resorts include the Monfragüe National Park.
Canchos de Ramiro y Ladronera Protected Area.
Plasencia - Wikipedia
