PiedrahÃta
Piedrahíta is a North Spanish municipality ( municipio ) with 1965 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013) in the province of Ávila in the Autonomous Community of Castile -Leon. The old center was classified as a cultural ( Bien de Interès Cultural ) in the category Conjunto histórico - artístico.
Location
Piedrahíta lies in a fertile valley floor above the Río Corneja in the Sierra de Gredos at an altitude of about 1070 meters above sea level. inst nearly 64 km ( driving distance ) southwest of the provincial capital Ávila; the city of Salamanca is about 90 km in a north-westerly direction away. The also featured neighboring Bonilla de la Sierra is just 13 kilometers north-east.
Demographics
In the 19th century the population was stable at well over 2,000 people.
Economy
The agriculture, especially livestock, traditionally the largest role in the economy of the small mountain community, which was also a regional center for trade and commerce in ancient times for the hamlets and isolated farmsteads in the area. Revenue from tourism in the form of the rental of apartments ( casas rurales ) have been added in recent decades.
History
The first traces of settlement date back to pre-Roman times ( Vettones ); Roman and Visigothic origins are in two - located outside of the town and close to the river - hermitages ( Ermita de San Miguel de Corneja and Ermita de Santa María de la Vega ) suspected. During the Islamic rule over large parts of the Iberian Peninsula, the area was depopulated; it was repopulated in the 11th and 12th centuries ( repoblación ). The first written mention of the name Piedrahíta (Latin petra ficta = " hewn stone " or " capstone " ) dates back to 1189th
Maybe in the 11th century, the manorial Señorío de Valdecorneja that came in the 15th century in the possession of the house Álvarez de Toledo, from which the Dukes of Alba emerged in 1465, who resided mainly in Alba de Tormes and Madrid was born. But even in the years 1755-1766 they built a summer residence in the French style outside Piedrahíta ( Palacio de los duques de Alba ). In the late 18th century, the palace witnessed to flower under the Duchess of Alba, who was also known to the painter Francisco de Goya and was portrayed several times by him.
Attractions
- The Plaza de Espana, the main square, is the actual center of the old town; he stood by arcades houses that protected the visitors both from rain and from too strong sunlight. A fountain from 1727 with an octagonal bezel is in the middle of the square.
- From the originally three-nave church of Santa María la Mayor is still the stocky -looking bell-tower. In the 16th century, the church was converted into a collegiate - in the West, a cloister was built ( claustro ), on the south side a fünfbogige porch ( portico ) was added, probably as a late successor of the Roman Südvorhallen in the provinces of Burgos, Soria and Segovia must be understood. The new south portal shows a Madonna and Child, which is laterally framed by two ogee arches resting with pinnacles. Inside there are several altarpieces; by changes on the north side created several chapels.
- From the second half of the 14th century, the ruins is endowed by the second Señor de Valdecorneja Dominican monastery, which was maintained until the disentailment of the church and monastery estates in the years 1834/5 of the Order come.
- The Carmelite convent was founded in 1460 by María de Vargas y Acebedo, a noble lady. The rather inconspicuous portal shows a Alfiz - framing and a stone coat of arms of the Dukes of Alba. In the chapel the image of El Grana Dino is from the hand of the painter Alonso Cano.
- The two-storey ducal palace ( Palacio de los duques de Alba ) is located a few kilometers outside the town. The French style of its architect Jacques Marquet appears in the multi -wing building and on the steep mansard roof.
- The single hermit church Ermita de Santa María de la Vega is also outside of the village. It is the goal of annual pilgrimage pilgrimage ( romeral ) on the first Monday after Pentecost.
- The bullring (plaza de toros ), with their architectural echoes of neo-baroque style and neomaurische forms dates from the year 1951.
Personalities
- The name Beata de Piedrahita unknown (1485-1525) was a Carmelite nun and a mystic and predecessor of St.. Teresa of Ávila.
- Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba (El Gran Duque ) was born 1507 in Piedrahíta.
- Maria del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo, better known as the Duchess of Alba (1762-1802) was the muse, and possibly also the beloved Goya, whom she had several times in the castle as a guest.