Badajoz is Estramadura's largest city, a commercial, cultural and tourist center. A lot of monuments from the Moorish period have been preserved here, as well as numerous medieval, renaissance and baroque churches.
The city is crossed by the Guadiana River, over which the Puente de Palmas bridge was built in the 16th century, which has survived to this day and is one of the most important engineering monuments in the region. Right next to it, there is one of the remains of the city's old fortifications, the 17th century Puerta de Palmas gate. The Puerta del Pilar, located in a different part of the fortifications, also dates from the same period.
The most important monument of the city is the Moorish fortress Alcazaba. It covers over 8 hectares and is one of the largest in Spain. In its vicinity, there is a polygonal Espantaperros Tower, also known as Atalaya, which is a great example of Arab defensive architecture.
The main square of Badajoz is Alta Square surrounded by 19th-century arcades referring to Arab architecture. Nearby, there is a fortress-like St. John the Baptist, where the Cathedral Museum operates. The building of La Giralda is a pride of the Old Town. A good place to rest is San Francisco Square, which is a former convent courtyard.
Badajoz is known for its museums. The most important of these is the Archaeological Museum located in the Alcazaba fortress. The history of the city can be found in the Museum of the City of Luis de Morales, and the Carnival Museum in Badajoz has exhibitions related to the celebration of the last days before Lent. Art lovers can choose the Badajoz Fine Arts Museum (MUBA) or the Ibero-American Museum of Contemporary Art.
