Ciudad Rodrigo

This fortress city, declared a historical site, is undoubtedly one of the tourist destinations in the province of Salamanca. Its walls hide an invaluable historical and cultural heritage.

The Main Square, the Town Hall, the cathedral, the churches, the castle, the palaces and manor houses are the traces of its long history.

The wall and the moat are the most valuable monumental ensemble, together with religious and civil buildings among which we can point out The House of the Aguilas Family, the palace of the I Marquis of Cerralbo and the House of the Castro Family. The Hospital de la Pasion (one of the oldest hospitals in the world which is still working) and the castle (nowadays it is the Parador de Turismo Hotel) are also interesting buildings.

The religious heritage is reflected in the beautiful Cathedral of Santa Maria and in the churches, convents and monasteries we can see around the city. The visitor should not miss a visit to the Herrerian church of Cerralbo, the church of the Tercera Orden and the churches of San Padro and San Isidoro.

Historically, the south-west of the province of Salamanca was always a place of fighting, due to the fact of being near Portugal. So, there are a lot of fortifications and defensive buildings, such as the defensive site of Ciudad Rodrigo, which was also a witness of the Independence War.