Alba de Tormes

The imposing figure of the Torre del Homenaje or as it is also known, the Armoury Tower, makes up one of the most salient features of the skyline of Alba de Tormes.

Its origins are not clear, and at first it is thought to have been put up as a watchtower and defensive structure. Later, in the 15th century, Don García Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba, and founder of the Duchy, began to turn the tower into a palatial fortress that was to play host to an illustrious Renaissance court.

It once had six towers decorated with marble and murals such as those still to be found in the Torre del Homenaje. These frescoes, painted by Cristóbal Passin and Miguel Ruíz de Carvajal, depict the Battle of Mühlberg.

Following its golden age, the castle gave in to the passing of time, centre of battles and confrontations, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars, all of which led to a major decline in its size.

Today, following restoration, you can visit the main tower that houses the paintings mentioned earlier, the visitor centre, and also climb up to the viewpoint outside, which affords an impressive panorama of the town below.

Visitors can also enjoy a walk around the ruins laid bare by the archaeological digs begun in 1991, which have been uncovering the splendour of the castle, declared a national heritage site.

Contact:
C/ Castillo, s/n
Phone: 923 37 06 46 / 618 74 65 13

Opening hours:
Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Free admission on Tuesdays from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Admission:
General: 3 €
Groups and reduced: 2 €

Combined ticket Castle + Pottery Museum:
General: 4 €
Reduced: 2,5 €

Although the enclosure of the wall has long since disappeared, remains of the fortifications can still be seen, along with the ruins of the cubos or towers that punctuated the walls, such as El Torreón or Turrión, the Great Tower.

The wall originally had five entry gates and several wicket gates that disappeared when the structure was demolished, only some of their names still remembered, such as those of El Río, El Campo, El Salitre, La Corredera or Terreros.

The original town walls stretched between the fortress and the spur. This area occupies, more or less, the land on which the fortress or military enclosure was built during the Middle Ages, and which was entrusted with the defence of the town against attacks that would end up taking place over the centuries.

One such attack was that led by Almanzor in his war of conquest, while others included those fought during the border wars between the kingdoms of Leon and Castile. It is assumed that the fortified castle was the key point of the defensive wall that surrounded Alba de Tormes and which, according to ancient accounts, was accessed through the five gates mentioned earlier.

The section of the wall that surrounds the gardens is practically the only one that has managed to survive to the present day.

The Plaza Mayor - the main square of Alba de Tormes is the heart and soul of the centre around which the life of the town revolves.

Here we can observe buildings from a number of historical periods; from the 12th up to the 20th century, from the Romanesque church of Saint John to the modernist buildings in a cluster around the fountain, while not forgetting the late Gothic Town Hall.

The square is furnished with arcades on three of it sides, an ideal setting for shops, bars and cafés, impromptu gatherings and strolls. It fulfils the purpose of affording people a meeting place, so characteristic of the streets and squares of any town in Castile.

Its modernist air, with numerous wrought iron columns and balconies, date back to the revamping the square underwent at the end of the 19th century, a time when the wealthier bourgeoisie were making full use of materials that were the height of fashion at the time; such as glass and metal.

This led it to acquiring an altogether more cosmopolitan feel that still lingers today, only emphasised by the planting of palm trees brought from Elda (Alicante) in 1927.

Throughout the Middle Ages, meetings of the local council were held in a variety of locations in the town of Alba; first in what was known as the ‘houses of the council' by the church of Saint James, or indeed in its entrance hall. Later they were to take place at the porch of the church of Saint John and after that in the in the so-called 'Casa de la Audiencia' or ‘Hall of Hearings’ in the Plaza Mayor, the main square.

After holding its business in so many venues, it was deemed necessary to build a hall to house council meetings on a permanent basis, while also presiding over the major events taking place in the Plaza Mayor.

This building, a curious work of Renaissance architecture was mainly built between 1556 and 1558. Important renovation work took place on the town hall at the end of the 19th century.

Among these changes was the placing of a clock, serving to mark the passing of the hours in the daily life of the town, formerly installed in the tower of Saint James, some distance from the centre of town.

A new one was commissioned from a local clockmaker and installed in the Town Hall on 25th April 1893. It is however, still possible to visit the original clock, along with an exhibition of traditional costumes. The feature that most stands out in the town hall is, undoubtedly the window-balcony on the corner, one of a kind in the town.

On 4 October 1582, Saint Teresa of Jesus died in the convent of 'La Anunciación of Nuestra Señora’ (Our Lady) of Carmen.

Legend has it she died while the clock was striking nine. Since that day, year after year, the nuns commemorate the anniversary by striking those nine chimes every 4th October.

Her body was laid to rest in the church, and the following day; which was brought forward to 15th October (due to the introduction of the Gregorian calendar), her funeral was held at 10 o’clock in the newly completed church.

The founders of this religious edifice were Francisco Vázquez and Teresa de Laíz; the latter a woman of some character who, having no children of her own, pushed her husband - the accountant and her own family to found this convent. Local lore has it that Teresa was to be seen in Alba in January 1571, supervising the convent's works.

The church is made up of two clear sections; the original, built between 1571 and 1582, reaches up to the pulpit and includes the nave and the former main chapel. The sacristy, transept, dome and presbytery, with their corresponding altarpieces, date to the Baroque extension, built between 1670 and 1680, known as the Obra Real or Royal Works.

The façade of the church has a large semicircular doorway with the medallions of Saint Peter and Saint Paul at the top. The upper section is divided into two levels. The first has a relief of the Annunciation, with the outline of a town in the background. A tympanum with the figure of God the Father in the clouds supposedly dates back to the year 1570, which does not fit in with what is known of the founding dates and would have to have been added later. At the top is a cross crowning a representation of a parchment with the founding charter cartouche, between figures lying on scrolls and others standing at each side.

The original church, built between 1571 and 1576, included only the first rectangular section of the current church, the nave with a wooden roof and a main chapel. Inside there are two coats of arms of the convent's patrons along with the tombs of the Velázquez Laíz family.

In front of the entrance and under the organ choir, is the tomb that houses Juan de Ovalle Godínez (†1596), his wife Juana de Ahumada, sister of Santa Teresa, (†1587) and their son Gonzalo de Ovalle (†1585).

At the centre of the high altar, at the top, is the tomb of Saint Teresa, together with her relics: her arm and her heart.

Contact:
Plza. Santa Teresa, 1
Phone: 923 30 02 11 / 628 00 16 60

Schedule:
Please check depending on the time of year.

The very same convent founded by Teresa of Jesus houses a museum of some 900 square metres of exhibition space, including some of the original rooms of the building following their restoration.

The collection takes visitors through the shrines; alcoves designed to house the relics of the Saint, and ends up with a visit to her tomb.

The rooms provide a space to exhibit important Renaissance and Baroque religious works of art, from paintings to sculptures, gold and silver work and furniture, including canvases, carvings, altarpieces, reliquaries and ivory carvings of the highest quality.

Although the sheer amount of works on display in the museum is impressive, one in particular stands out; the famous Dolorosa, carved by Pedro de Mena around 1675.

The museum also boasts a surprising collection of figures of Jesus as an infant in a variety of garments from the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as a rich collection of paintings on copper plates and on decorative stone.

Contact:
C/ Sor Mariana de San José, 3
Phone: 923 30 02 11 / 628 00 16 60

Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Afternoons vary depending on the time of year.

Admission:
General: 3 €
Groups and reduced: 2 €
Groups with guided tour: 3 €

Includes visit to the Santa Teresa room.

The Convent of San Juan de la Cruz (Saint John of the Cross) was completed in 1692. It is the first church and indeed first convent in the world dedicated to the saint with both the structure and layout of the convent and church keeping faith with the salient architecture of the Carmelite Baroque era.

A perfectly symmetrical façade has its decoration take the form of a cross, with the coat of arms of the Carmelites at the top. On each side you can see the coats of arms of the Álvarez de Toledo family and at the foot the façade, San Juan de la Cruz.

The church is laid out in a classical Latin cross floor plan. Once inside the building the frescoes on the upper corners below the dome draw the attention of the visitors. The image of the Virgin of Carmen takes pride of place on the altarpiece with that of Saint John above her. Another figure worth looking for is that of the Infant Jesus of Prague who, along with the Virgin of Mount Carmel, is the most widely known figure of devotion of the Carmelite order worldwide. The effigy of Jesus is to be found in a niche in the transept of the friars' church.

Nevertheless, the greatest treasure housed by this church is without doubt the prized relic; the index finger of Saint John of the Cross.

From 2017 to 2018, the entire ground floor of the convent, which includes the cloister with its courtyard, the main sacristy, the old refectory, the porter's lodge and visiting rooms, the convent garden and several permanent exhibition rooms, was remodelled and rebaptised as the Teresian Centre. So, in the words written on the arch around the door; “Let’s go further in…”

Contact:
Plza. Santa Teresa, 4
Phone: 923 30 00 43

Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Free admission.

The Centro Teresiano Sanjuanista – a collection of exhibits dedicated to the saints Teresa and Saint John of the Cross – is to be found in the church dedicated to the latter saint, with pieces from the 16th to 18th century on permanent display.

Considered of most note are the eight paintings by L. Villalón; 15 pieces of gold decoration, as well as reliquaries from the 17th and 18th centuries; 22 paintings, mostly from the 18th century; 24 sculptures dating from the 16th to the 18th centuries, along with the funerary urn of Saint John of the Cross.

The centre also boasts two collections of engravings with scenes from the lives of Saints Teresa and Saint John of the Cross from the 17th century; all the facsimiles of the works of Saint Teresa of Jesus; namely two of her signed letters as well as documents from the 16th century related to Saint Teresa of Jesus and Saint John of the Cross; several everyday objects dating from the time; and the editio princeps or first printed edition of the works of Saint John from 1618, and last but not least, a reproduction of the cell of Saint John of the Cross.

The exhibition also includes eight oil paintings depicting scenes from the life of these saints in the cloister; seven 16th century walnut tables in the convent refectory; and a collection of 14 scenes depicting the Passion of Christ in 19th century French engravings.

The entire centre is furnished with a number of posters providing information on the life and works of the featured saints.

Contact:
Plza. Santa Teresa, 4
Phone: 923 30 00 43

Opening hours:
Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Admission: 1€

The Church of Saint John the Apostle is the most notable example of 13th century Romanesque-Mudejar architecture in the province of Salamanca, and one of the seven churches still standing in the town of the original 18 that Alba de Tormes once had. Five were built in this style of architecture, though today only the churches of San Juan and Santiago remain, the latter thought to be the oldest of them all.

It is not surprising that Alba de Tormes is considered one of the foremost centres of Mudejar architecture, given the large number of religious buildings, along with the purity of the style they exhibit.

This particular church, commissioned by Alfonso VI to Raymond of Burgundy and later by Alfonso IX, was built in the late 12th to early 13th centuries, following the repopulation of the town.

The church has undergone major alterations since the 15th century, the period to which the back of the church belongs. The original Byzantine portico, where local magistrates sat, was lost in 1791, up until that time, the church was closely linked with the town council.

Restored in 1957, the current portico was rebuilt and the baroque decoration of the 18th century removed to return this part of the exterior to its former glory.

On 24th June 1993 it was declared a Spanish Heritage Site, as the church not only stands out for its architecture, but also for the artistic treasures it houses, some of which come from the churches of San Miguel and Santiago.

The main chapel contains the church's most important work, a true jewel of Romanesque sculpture; the splendid multicoloured sandstone Apostolate dated around 1200. Made up of thirteen sculptures, Christ is to be seen in the centre with six apostles on each side.

Contact:
Plza. Mayor, s/n
Phone: 923 37 01 41

Opening hours:
Please check depending on the time of year.

Admission: 1€

In 1481, Doña Aldonza Ruiz de Barrientos, widow of Don Francisco Maldonado, relative of the Dukes of Alba, created the community of the Franciscan Terceras de Alba. The convent was originally known as the convent of the Mother of God, and it is well-known, not least because Saint Teresa stayed here when she came to found her community.

The beautiful façade, dating from the mid-16th century, has the coat of arms of the duchy, held aloft by two barbarians. The church also boasts a very valuable altarpiece, with a carving of the Virgin Mary on the throne flanked by St. John and St. Mark the evangelists.

Restoration of the church uncovered a coffered ceiling from the mid-16th century, with beautiful borders. Also worth seeing is the Gaytán chapel; a Plateresque work that conserves the original grille and a magnificent Renaissance cloister, consisting of two floors with five arcades in each of the bays below its flat ceiling. Diaphragm arches appear at all angles, while the supporting granite columns are simply plain. The cloister has managed to keep some of the original doors.

Since 1951, the building has been used as a school, teaching children from infant up to secondary level.

It was declared a national heritage site in 1996.

Contact:
C/ Benitas, 17
Phone: 923 30 19 08

Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Possibility of arranging other times.

Free admission.

In 1512, the parish church of Saint Peter’s was severely damaged in a great fire that nearly destroyed it. Only the Gothic façade was saved.

The House of Alba put up the funds to rebuild it in 1577, which accounts for the coats of arms of the Duchy on the façade.

The interior has a hall church layout; three naves and a rectangular presbytery, a staircase leading up to the choir and a lower choir under Gothic style ribbed vaults.

The building houses the carving of the Santo Cristo de la Salud or Cristo de San Jerónimo crucified (Christ of Good Health or Christ of Saint Jerome), in the style of German and Flemish contemporary sculptures, dating from the end of the 15th to early 16th century.

The Basilica dates back to the year 1898, when the Most Reverend Father Cámara, Bishop of Salamanca, upon observing that the Church of the Sepulchre of Saint Teresa of Jesus in Alba de Tormes could no longer accommodate the faithful, was reported as saying to those gathered:

'Saint Teresa has asked for a temple and we cannot turn down her request.'

The project was drafted by the architect Enrique María Repullés y Vargas and the building was constructed in a mock medieval style typical of so many religious works of the 19th century.

The starting point is taken as the church that houses the tomb, laid out in the shape of a Latin cross, with a wide central nave, to make room for a large number of people, with two narrower side naves to relieve the main nave and where the chapels are located, altogether leaving for a building of impressive dimensions; 100 metres long by 70 metres wide and 92 metres high.

After 20 years and coinciding with the 1st World War, work on the basilica came to a halt due to the economic downturn which came as a consequence of this, until funds once again allowed the interior chapels to be finished in the years between 1927-1932.

Building once again remained at a standstill until 1982, when it was resumed coinciding with the visit of Pope John Paul II on 1st November 1982 to mark the 4th centenary of Saint Teresa.

Since then, the works have continued, though the time elapsed since its inception has taken its toll, given that it has proved impossible for the new project to be reconciled with the original ideas, although in recent times the part of the head of the church has been finished.

In 2015 the Basilica of Santa Teresa held the 20th edition of the Ages of Man. Taking a look at the church from the outside, we can see the statues of Pope John Paul II located next to the door and of Saint Teresa of Jesus by the sculptor Venancio Blanco in the Plaza del Peregrino, or Pilgrims’ Square.

The statue of Pope John Paul II commemorates the Pope's visit to the town of Saint Teresa on 1st November 1982 to mark the 4th Centenary of her death.

It was a great event, given that it was the first Papal visit to Alba de Tormes, attracting thousands of faithful and pilgrims from far and wide. While it is true John XXIII and Benedict XV visited the town, they did so before being declared Pontiff.

For John Paul II the figures of St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross held a special interest, not least due to his close relationship with the Carmelites, but also as he had centred his thesis on the former saint.

The 1st November gathered the crowds on the esplanade by the river Tormes, before moving on to the Church of the Annunciation, where the Pope visited the Carmelite Nuns, who took him round the convent and to the holy relics of the saint’s heart and arm. The Holy Father later took the opportunity to pray in the cell where Saint Teresa died.

The bronze sculpture on a stone rock-pedestal was made by the sculptor Nieves Charques Medina in 1985 and is located next to the door of the Basilica.

The statue of Saint Teresa of Jesus, made in bronze by the sculptor Venancio Blanco in 1977 is to be found in the Plaza del Peregrino or Pilgrim's Square.

This square is one of the most significant in Alba de Tormes, one of the first to be seen upon entering the town, located as it is next to the medieval bridge.

Situated next to the Basilica of Saint Teresa to welcome pilgrims visiting the Teresian shrine, it has become a venue for numerous cultural events. One of the most important is that of the floral offering that takes place on the feast day of the Patron Saint in honour of Saint Teresa of Jesus, held in the month of October and which, due to its unique cultural roots, has been declared a Festive Occasion of Tourist Interest.

The church of Saint James, a Romanesque-Mudejar style temple, was thought to have been built at the end of the 11th century or throughout the 12th century. Of all the churches in the town, it is the first to be mentioned in documents; appearing in the Charter of 1140, as the meetings of the Council were held in its portico.

Built in honour of the patron saint of the Reconquest, it has a privileged location next to the Pilgrims' Hospital of Saint James founded in 1445 by Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo and the old apothecary's shop of the hospital, which was to become the theatre in 1842.

Built in brick, with a semi-cylindrical barrel vault, it is finished off with a round apse on the inside decorated with three rows of blind arches, covered with eight panels on the outside. The alternation of brick and stone and other architectural elements derives from both Muslim and Christian influences.

The massive square Clock Tower attached to the south side of the chancel is original, as is the apse built on a stone base and decorated with Islamic-inspired arches on its northern side. A three section Baroque brick bell tower was erected later added at the northern wall.

Inside, it consists of a semicircular main chapel built of stone and brick with a straight presbytery section and a rectangular nave.

It was the resting place of illustrious figures such as Don Gutierre, the first lord of the town; the knight Antón Ledesma and his wife Leonor de Pas, as well as Isabel de Urbina, wife of Lope de Vega and his daughter Antonia.

It was declared a heritage site in 1996 in the monument category.

It currently houses the Alba de Tormes Pottery Museum and the Tourist Information Point.

Contact:
C/ Hospital, s/n
Phone: 923 37 06 46 / 618 74 65 13

Opening hours:
Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Afternoons vary depending on the time of year.
Free admission on Tuesdays from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Admission:
General: 1,5 €
Groups and reduced: 1 €

Combined ticket Castle + Pottery Museum:
General: 4 €
Reduced: 2,5 €

The Pottery Museum is in the Church of Santiago (Saint James), providing a privileged and unique combination that ensures that visitors can enjoy both the setting of the church and its interior, now dedicated to pottery and ceramics.

The museum was created to raise awareness of the traditional art of pottery in the town. Indeed, many families in Alba were potters and the town relied heavily on the trade in ceramics thriving to ensure its prosperity.

The museum uses video to take visitors on a visual journey through the history and production of pottery in Alba de Tormes, enabling them to understand the context and importance which ceramics has here.

Some fundamental pieces are exhibited in order to illustrate a tradition that became an art form, both through development of everyday earthenware to other more intricate pieces with greater decoration.

Alba filigree ceramics make up the most exclusive decorative element in this collection, transforming otherwise simple earthenware into true works of art. The museum also takes visitors through the production processes of ceramics and the elements used by the potters to fashion them.

The visit is completed by a collection of miniature toys and the famous bulls' jugs in their different schematic or figurative designs, not to mention an exhibition of decorative ceramics made by local potters who have evolved from traditional pieces to modern works of art.

The Pottery Museum has a Tourist Information Point.

Contact:
C/ Hospital, s/n
Phone: 923 37 06 46 / 618 74 65 13

Opening hours:
Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00 p.m. 14:00 p.m.
In the afternoon, check depending on the time of year.
Free admission on Tuesdays from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Admission:
General: 1,5 €
Groups and reduced: 1 €

Combined ticket Castle + Pottery Museum:

General: 4 €

Reduced: 2,5 €

A short distance south of the town, on the floodplain of the river Tormes, in the 12th century Alfonso VII founded the Monastery of San Leonardo for the Premonstratensians, (an order of canons). When they abandoned it in the 15th century (1447) at the request of Don Gutierre Álvarez de Toledo - Archbishop of Toledo and lord of Alba de Tormes – it was passed to the order of the Hieronymites, (the order of Saint Jerome).

The monastery was acquired by private individuals during the Spanish Confiscation Process in the 19th century until 1962, when the religious community of the Congregation of Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus moved in. After a magnificent restoration, it was transformed into a Seminary and today houses the Museum of Father Ignacio María Belda. The remains of the old monastic complex were declared a heritage site in 1931.

Today it also serves as both secondary school and minor seminary.

The layout of the buildings is not consistent with that of the Middle Ages and indeed of most monasteries: the cloister is towards the East and the other section placed in front of the head of the church, most likely due to the precepts of the Premonstratensian order.

The Gothic church, commissioned by Don García Álvarez de Toledo in 1472, consists of a single nave, divided into four regular bays with chapels between the buttresses, and a main chapel enclosed by three panels forming a polygonal apse. On the outside it is relatively austere except for the doorway.

Don Gutierre, Doña María de Pimentel and her husband the II Duke Don Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo lie in the main chapel. The bishop's remains were moved to the church of Santiago due to the destruction of the monastery during the Napoleonic wars.

Outside this chapel, lies the original resting place of the illustrious 3rd Duke of Alba; Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, and his wife, María Enríquez de Toledo, who were later transferred to the Convent of San Esteban in Salamanca.

The medieval bridge was built over an original Roman one where a branch of the Calzada Romana de la Plata (Roman Silver Road) crossed the Tormes linking Piedrahita with Salamanca. Some scholars claim that it used to be known as the Bridge of Saint Jerome.

The location of this medieval construction is due to the strategic position of Alba in the late Middle Ages. At first, it was essential to consolidate the repopulation process in the lands south of the Duero, but later it became a crossroads for wandering livestock herders, wagon trails and the like. It is believed the herds of the Cordeles de Amatos, Arca de los Frailes, Ciudad Rodrigo and Torrejón, the Veredas de Ejeme, Pedrosillo and Salamanca all passed through here.

On the left bank was the fielato or guard post and, in the middle, a ramp, known as the quebrada, which served as a buttress and access for washing and watering livestock from the island of Alcázar. This later disappeared with the construction of the Weir of Villagonzalo.

Since its construction, it has born witness to Alba’s turbulent history: in the 17th and 18th centuries there were several floods damaging it, meaning it had to be rebuilt.

In the Napoleonic Wars, the Bridge became a strategic place, both on 28th November 1809 in the Battle of Alba de Tormes and in the retreat of the French after the Battle of Arapiles in July 1812, as well that of the British on 14th November the same year, which saw one of the arches blown up.

Today, the majestic medieval bridge, with its 23 arches, continues to act as a silent observer to the goings on of this duchy town.

It would be impossible to get a clear picture of the history of Alba without the River Tormes. It is the ideal starting point to appreciate how Alba, from its earliest beginnings, could count upon the body of water to act as a defensive barrier against attacks from the other bank.

Over the centuries, a number of ventures which harnessed the power of the water sprung up on the right bank of the Tormes. These included the aceñas, watermills for grinding flour typically located on larger rivers in Spain.

Other industrial ventures taking advantage of the current were; the hydroelectric plant and the tanneries. While the right bank was always more densely populated, the left bank was typically where the allotments were located, with a beautiful medieval bridge straddling the two banks.

The reason the Tormes is so wide at this point has to do with the weir at Villagonzalo, downstream, allowing water to be used for irrigation, hydroelectricity and for supplying drinking water to Salamanca and other nearby towns.

It is possible to go for a stroll along the 'Camino de las aceñas', or Mill path, which starts by the bridge and takes you along the river bank among the lush vegetation and enables you wander by the ruins of these once important inventions.

Writings from the beginning of the 17th century mention the existence of the chapel, in the parish of San Andrés de Alba, a settlement with 18 residents. It later became the parish church of Martín Valero, a village that disappeared during the Napoleonic wars due to the looting and serious damage it suffered at the hands of the French armies, especially during the battle of Arapiles, given that it was the centre of the retreat of the soldiers, many of whom are buried in its cemetery.

It then became part of Palomares, a district of Alba de Tormes that is now uninhabited, later to form part of the parish of San Pedro de Alba.

The Virgen de Otero shrine is located on a hilltop on the left bank of the river Tormes, two kilometres outside Alba, a privileged enclave with superb views over the fertile plain of the Tormes and the town itself.

The chapel, a humble construction, made of slate and brick, is surrounded by the Palomares cemetery, and picnic area on the esplanade in front of it. It usually opens only on feast days, such as that of the pilgrimage on the first Monday in September, and for the services held in May. Every Sunday during this month, at 6 o'clock in the evening, a Eucharist is celebrated, when the church overflows with the dozens of faithful who come to worship.

Since ancient times, a popular pilgrimage has been held on the afternoon of the first Monday in September to the shrine, characterised mainly by the sharing out of watermelon consumed in the surrounding area, and a popular local delicacy; the 'keys of Otero', which some of the confectioners in Alba still make.

The Padre Belda Archaeological Museum was founded in 1982 thanks to the initiative of the priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; Father Ignacio María Belda, who throughout his life, collected countless geological, archaeological and ethnographic treasures due to an interest in science and his participation in several archaeological digs.

The museum is located in the Convent of Saint Jerome (formerly San Leonardo), an imposing complex from the 15th-16th centuries consisting of the convent itself with two cloisters, the church and other out buildings. After lying derelict for centuries, it was restored by the order of the Dehonians, led by Father Belda, who personally directed the work from 1960 onwards.

The museum was first given the name of the Museo Didáctico de Prehistoria Padre Belda or Padre Belda Didactic Museum of Prehistory, illustrative of the goal of the centre, which aimed to add to the school education given in the Minor Seminary of Saint Jerome.

After the death of the father, the centre entered a new phase, taking advantage of grants offered to the Dehonian fathers to further expand and renovate the convent church, still in ruins since the mid-19th century, to act as the new museum headquarters.

As a well-deserved tribute to Father Belda, and as the best way of keeping his legacy alive, the new Padre Belda Archaeological Museum in Alba de Tormes was inaugurated on 27th June 2008 in its new home; the renovated Church of the Minor Seminary of San Jerónimo.

Contact:
Ctra. Piedrahíta
Phone: 923 30 01 35

Opening hours:
Visiting hours may vary depending on the time of year.

Admission:
General: 2 €
Groups and reduced: 1 €

The first monastery of the Benedictine Mothers in Alba de Tormes was founded in the 13th century in an area not far from the walls of the town.

From 1565 to 1566 two of its most prolific sisters were in residence; Doña Mayor and Doña María Ovalle, sisters of a brother-in-law of Saint Teresa, coinciding with the schooling of the child Beatriz de Ovalle y de Ahumada, niece of the Saint.

On 12th May 1769, the monastery was moved to its present location in the town, under the direction of its abbess, Mother Benita de Oviedo, from one of Alba’s most illustrious families and a nun of many talents.

The darkest hour of the community was to come during the Napoleonic Wars with the decrees of Confiscation, but once these hurdles were overcome, life in the monastery once again began to flourish.

The façade of the church, brought from the former convent, is composed of two Doric columns forming an arch, supporting a plinth with a frieze. At each end of the frieze, two heads can be seen; one of a helmeted warrior and the other of a lady, two slate plaques with the bishop's crozier and mitre, and in the centre, a bust of Saint Benedict.

In January 2019, a major restoration program was completed.

Today, the nuns continue to produce books and illustrations in their small press, bound by hand along with beautiful ceramics.

The Reverend Mothers are also known for their delicious confectionery, dating back over one hundred and fifty years and still sold using the convent’s old turnstile, allowing the nuns to remain unseen.

Visits to the outside only.

This lovely park and children's playground, used by many locals for a quiet walk, affords outstanding views of the town and the surrounding floodplain of the river Tormes.

It is located by the top of a city wall, part of the old medieval fortress, and it is thought that the area where today you can enjoy a pleasant stroll, was once part of the castle keep.

It makes an ideal vantage point over the course of the Tormes with the beautiful woods lining its banks, the medieval bridge, watermill and, in the distance, the shrine to the Virgin of Otero and behind it the Carpio Plateau - an integral part of the Castilian cereal belt.

It sports a wide variety of flora such as Spanish firs, stone pines, cedars, horse chestnut trees, plane trees and poplars. When arriving at the cedar tree in the middle, if you look up, you may be able to spot a family of storks depending on the time of year.

Another spot to find is located at the end of the sandy path under a holly oak, where you can see the historical coats of arms of the town, the House of Alba and Monte Carmelo.

The Dehesa public park is located next to the natural beaches on the banks of the Tormes and the sports area of Alba: the municipal sports hall, swimming pool, football pitches and tennis courts.

The park is ideal for all ages, with facilities for children such as a sandpit, spring riders, a small slide, a zip-line and a multi-adventure game, while young and old alike can enjoy the table tennis and chess tables, the terrace and the summer picnic area.

The park also has a bar-kiosk with toilets.

The old watermill is an integral part of the heritage of Alba, located downstream, on the right bank of the river Tormes as it passes through the town.

This multifunctional building has two floors. On the ground floor you can visit a small exhibition with the machinery rescued from the old flour factory.

The so-called Aceña de los Moro (Moorish watermill), dating from 1907 served over 50 years as the flour factory "El Alcázar", using the current from the river Tormes to drive the millstones.

Nowadays, it has a number of uses; apart from the exhibits on the ground floor, it is also the principal digital resource and rural knowledge society development centre or e-RCO.

This circular walking route, which takes its name from the local watermills, starts in Alba de Tormes, and is ideal for enjoying the natural fauna and flora lining the river bank, part of the Bosque de Ribera (river bank woods) and classified within the Natura 2000 Network as a place of local Interest.

A stroll along this path also enables us to get a closer look at one of the local watermills, which used to harness the power of the river; the 'Casa Molino', currently a digital resource centre.

The walk that leads up to the Ermita de Otero - the shrine to the Virgin of Otero - is much more than a simple recreational or sporting activity, it is a walk which follows in the footsteps of the pilgrimages held every year.

Starting by the Medieval Bridge across the Tormes River, it takes us along the colourfully named street Afueras del Puente, which leads past the old tileworks and to the bridge of the Playas Viejas (old beaches) which crosses the brook of Terradillos. At this point, the path takes a right turn.

Keeping the river on the right, the path then takes us through a small residential area, before a climb of about 500 metres to the shrine.

In addition to the chapel, the hill top provides a commanding view of the town of Alba below, as well as a large open leisure area next to the enclosure.

The Vía Verde de la Plata is the first section of the old railway line, part of the Ruta de la Plata, (Silver Route), converted into a nature trail with an aim to foment walking, cycling and the enjoyment of nature, history and cultural heritage.

The path is just over 20 kilometres long and crosses into the villages of Carbajosa de la Sagrada (near the city of Salamanca), Arapiles, Calvarrasa de Arriba, Terradillos and Alba de Tormes itself.

The path is generally flat or with gentle slopes and makes an easy, delightful walk, enabling users to get an excellent view of the typical plains of the Castilian countryside.

This forms the first section of the Vía de la Plata Nature Trail. It is worth highlighting that the route in itself is of great historical interest as both the Battles of Arapiles and the Battle of Alba de Tormes were fought here.

If you want to visit the town and learn more about its history, culture and traditions; visit the Tourist Information Office. Here you can get all the information you need about everything Alba de Tormes has to offer; from its heritage to cultural activities, to help you discover the hidden charms of the town.

Contact:
C/ Castillo, s/n
Phone: 923 37 06 46 / 618 74 65 13
Email: info@villaalbadetormes.com

Opening times:
Open every day of the year, except 25th December, 1st and 6th January. Closed on the afternoons of 24th and 31st December and 5th January.

Tuesday to Sunday:
Mornings 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Afternoons Consult us depending on the time of year.

ALBA CARD

Alba Card is a card that gives you numerous advantages and discounts. You can get more than a 50% discount, if you visit all the cultural heritage sites of the town. Not only that, but the Town Council of Alba de Tormes, monuments, museums and local shops and business also offer further discounts for cardholders.

Price six Euro and valid for 2 days from the date of purchase.

Points of sale:
Tourist Office
Carmus Museum
Sanjuanista Teresian Centre