VP20 - El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino - Zamora - 31,6 km
Itinerary
You leave El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino and take the old road, crossing a bridge and coming back to the causeway parallel to the railroad; continue on it for 5 km. From the top of a hill, you will be able to see Villanueva de Campeán. You will enter the village via Calle Calzada and keep going on Calle Santiago, taking a path that leads to San Marcial, which you will leave to the left to then ascend a mound; from here, you will see Zamora in the distance.
You will enter Zamora via San Frontis Borough, enjoying a wondrous sight of the Cathedral. Bordering the river Duero, you will leave on the left the remains of the Roman bridge and will enter the city via the medieval bridge.
This is a really important city for the pilgrim on the Silver Route since here, and thanks to Ramos Castro Foundation, was born the idea of reviving this old route for the pilgrims to get to Santiago. It is highly recommendable to stop and visit this city, considered a true gem of the Romanesque with the greatest concentration of art of this kind in the whole Europe, and also with an important number of Modernist buildings.
Zamora
Altitude: 649 m
This city had a great importance as station of the Silver Route during Roman times, since here was located the Occelum Durii, a Roman Mansio on the way that offered a route towards Zaragoza, Cesar Augusta, via Toro. This stop on the way is mentioned in Antonino’s Itinerary and its name corresponds to “the apple of Duero’s eyes”. The walls surrounding the city and the good defenses it has, made possible the presence of monarchs here in medieval times. Its location on a hillock and next to the river Duero is perfect for the wall to protect it. This circumstance made Zamora to be considered as the “good enclosed”.
What can you visit?
Zamora is considered as city of Romanesque since it is the capital with a highest number of this kind of temples. Amongst them, we have the Transfiguration Cathedral, a Romanesque building from the 12th Century with cloisters from the 17th Century and a Gothic choir from the 16th Century. Its Byzantine Dome stands out and its architectonic repercussion can be reflected in Salamanca Cathedral and Toro Collegiate Church.
Santiago de los Caballeros Church (also known as Santiago el Viejo Church) is from the 11th Century and it is thought to be the place where the Cid Campeador was knighted.
Santa María la Nueva Church has Romanesque remains from the 12th Century and stands out because inside it guards the statue of “El Yacente” (from the 17th Century and attributed to Francisco Fermín, disciple of Gregorio Fernández), and also because of the “Motín de la Trucha” (The Trout Rebellion) in 1168, which caused the a great fire in the temple. Next to this church you can find the Holy Week Museum, a festivity declared as International Tourist Interest.
Santa María de la Horta is another Romanesque building with a beautiful altarpiece from the 16th Century.
San Pedro and San Ildefonso Church guards the remains of San Atilado (first Bishop of Zamora) inside. This is a Romanesque temple that suffered several alterations in the 15th Century.
San Cipriano Church guards some of the oldest relief printings in the city.
San Juan de Puerta Nueva Church has a Gothic front door from the 16th Century. Its chapel is dominated by an altarpiece from Juan de Montejo. In one of its lateral chapels, you can find the famous Virgen de la Soledad, made by Ramón Álvarez.
Amongst the civil architecture we could mention Casa del Cid (built next to the wall in the 11th Century), the Castle (with an amazing view of the river Duero) and the Romanesque walls from the 12th, 13th and 14th Centuries.
You can also visit Condes de Alba y Aliste and Los Momos Palaces, and enjoy Zamora Museum and Castilla y León Ethnographic Museum.
In Zamora capital we can highlight the next monuments as being Cultural Interest Sites: San Isidoro Church, Santa Lucía Church, San Leonardo Church, Espíritu Santo Church, Principal Theatre, Santa María Magdalena Church, Santo Tomé Church, San Claudio de Olivares Church, Fine Arts Museum, Doña Urraca Gate, Santiago del Burgo Church, Santo Sepulcro Church, Corpus Christi Cloisters, San Esteban Church, San Frontis Church and San Francisco Convent.
From Zamora starts the Silver Route Portuguese Way.
You can get more information in…
Oficina de la Junta de Castilla y León. C/ Príncipe de Asturias, 1. 980 531845.
Oficina Municipal de Turismo. Plaza Arias Gonzalo, 6. 980 533694.
Patronato Provincial de Turismo. Plaza Viriato, s/n. 980 534047.
External info sources about this route and recommended websites:
Turismo Castilla y León
Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Sevilla
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