Called the "Roman city", Zamora has a unique atmosphere and the largest accumulation of monuments from this period on the Iberian Peninsula. It is also known for the exceptionally grand celebrations of Holy Week, which since 1986 have the title of the International Touristic Event.
Zamora was founded in the 5th century by the Visigoths, and after their fall, the Moors briefly took over the power in these areas. Already in 893, the city was conquered by King Alfonso III and its reconstruction began. Thanks to an early reflection from Arab hands, so many Romanesque monuments can be admired here today.
The main concentration of old buildings is the Old Town. There are 20 Romanesque churches within it. The most important of them is the Cathedral in Zamora, built in the 12th century. Today, it houses the Cathedral Museum with a collection of sacred art. Other valuable Romanesque churches include the Church of St. Peter and Ildefons, Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Church of St. John, Church of St. Lucia and the Church of St. Isidore.
On the hill above the Douro River there are the ruins of Zamora Castle. Its beginnings date back to the 10th century, and its walls offer a beautiful view of the river and the city's buildings. Due to its long history, the Medieval Town Interpretation Center was opened in 2008 in Zamora. It shows the process of the emergence of cities in Europe and their transformations in the Middle Ages.
If you want to know the history of the city, it's best to go to the Zamora Museum. It presents the history of this area from the Paleolithic to the modern era. You can also visit the Baltasar Lobo Museum, which presents the works of this Spanish sculptor, and the Ethnographic Museum of Castile and León.
