Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Alba de Tormes
Alba de Tormes is a municipality in the region of Tierra de Alba, in the province of Salamanca.
The town was repopulated in the Middle Ages by the Kings of Leon, but its origins go back to a pre-Roman settlement that would later become a Roman nucleus, called Albocola, near the Vía de la Plata (Silver Way). However, megalithic remains have also been found on the riverbank, among which the dolmen of the corridor stands out, dating from the end of the Neolithic period.
The Alba township passed through different royal hands including the infant Don Pedro, son of Alfonso X, the Wise, the Queen Violante of Aragon, Alfonso de la Cerda, son of the infant Fernando de la Cerda until the early 15th century when King John II gave the town to a member of the House of Alvarez de Toledo, who founded the House of Alba de Tormes. Before the end of the century, the estate became a duchy.
In the 16th century, the town reached its cultural peak under the guidance of St. Teresa of Jesus and Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, the third Duke of Alba, known as the Grand Duke of Alba for his feats of war and his promotion of arts and literary culture.
The main city's landmarks include the town hall built in Renaissance style in the 16th century; the medieval bridge, built on a previous Roman bridge that was part of a branch of the Via de la Plata (Silver Way), and the Castle of the Dukes of Alba, which has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest. The castle was built between the 15th and 16th centuries but after the Peninsular War, only the remains of the keep and walls are left. The keep has Renaissance mural paintings of the battle of Mühlberg by the Italian Cristobal Passini.
In the town, there are many religious buildings. Of note are the church of San Pedro, rebuilt in 1577 and preserving Gothic elements, and the church of San Juan de la Cruz, which was built in the 17th century and is the first church in the world dedicated to St. John. There are two other churches that have been declared Assets of Cultural Interest: the church of Santiago, from the late 11th or 12th century, and the church of San Juan, from the late 12th or 13th century, both in Romanesque-Mudejar style. The former is the older, and the latter is the finest example of this style.
There are several convents including the Convent of Santa Isabel, founded in 1481; the Convent of San Jerónimo from the 15th-16th centuries, built on the site of the convent of San Leonardo from the 12th century, which houses the Archaeological Museum Padre Belda and the Convent of the Annunciation, founded in 1571 by Saint Teresa of Jesus. In the latter, the nun died in 1582, in her room, on the 4th of Julian October (October 15 in the current calendar). The complex houses her tomb and a museum.
The economy of this municipality is based on tourism and agriculture, although there are some local companies dedicated to the production of sausages.
As an interesting fact, the origin of the almendras garrapiñadas (sugared almonds) is here, specifically in the convent of the Annunciation, and they have become a very typical product of the city. Another element of great fame exclusive to the town is the Botijo de filigrana, a type of clay jug designed to cool water.
The Vía de la Plata Nature Trail crosses Alba de Tormes, as well as several Napoleonic Spanish-Portuguese routes, a Mudejar route and other local routes dedicated to historical monuments, to famous writers who lived in the area and to Saint Teresa of Jesus.
The town celebrates the Transverberation of Saint Teresa from August 25 to 27 and the patron saint festivities of Saint Teresa from October 14 to 22.