The eyes of the Duero

O ver the course of centuries these people have shown themselves to be humble yet courageous. They are both deeply religious and belligerent when they feel they are in the right. However, they are never ones to be haughty when at the height of their powers.

When the Romans came to these lands they were inhabited by the Zoelas. So extreme and lengthy was their resistance that the invaders developed a fearful admiration for this Celtiberian tribe. The tribe AMORA believed that the sky was the final resting place of the dead, and that Z their god lived in the heights. It is perhaps for this reason that they And Its Parador would leave their dead out in the open to be eaten by the vultures, who lifted the remains into the air.

They formed small groups of armed men who attacked the Roman legions. Their unusual "attack and run" methods disconcerted the enemy: here Viriato waged guerrilla warfare.

Having finally won the war, the invader settled peacefully in the area. Their camp became a town of some importance. Zamora was then known as Ocellum Durii - the Eyes of the Duero - and would soon become a supply point, resting place for soldiers and center for trade. This is one of the most important locales along the Vía de la Plata, the route built by Roman legions and Spanish slaves to consolidate the power of the empire. In the end, this road would eventually link the sea of Huelva to the coast at Gijón.

The Moors were not able to relax here for long, although they did have enough time to introduce some improved agricultural techniques. They gave the town the name of Samurah, meaning "City of Turquoise". Perhaps they were caught up in the spell of the incredibly beautiful waters of the Duero, or the intense green of the fields along its banks.

Then came the Reconquest. These and many other territories came to form part of the strategically located Duero Desert. At last, King Alfonso III decided to repopulate the region at the end of the 9th century. The records of the time state that the town "was surrounded by seven walls and was the capital of the realm of Galicia, bringing good times for commerce and ."

The town experienced its moments of greatest glory between the 10th and 13th centuries, when most of its churches and palaces were built. It was the birthplace and home of kings of Castile and Leon, such as Alfonso III, Sancho II, Alfonso IX, and Fernando III "the Holy".

Along the obligatory, relaxing stroll through town, the visitor will be pleasantly surprised by discovering numerous stories and legends woven into the history of these people. The castle is a good starting point, as it was the original nucleus of the first walled area. Nearby you will find Traitor's Gate, given this name because the traitor Bellido Dolfos fled through it after having brutally murdered King Sancho. His pursuer was none other than Cid Campeador. Another must-see is the Barrio Viejo, or Old Town. When we say "Old Town", we mean Romanesque, and when we say "Romanesque", we mean Zamora. You will be transported back to the 12th century, to the birth of the style, when the fields around the Duero were borderlands and the scene of both war and peace.

ZAMORA AND ITS PARADOR 1 Bishop Acuña, the rebels rose up against the ambitious imperialistic The cathedral was built by order of King Alfonso VII. It is both the power of Carlos V. The town's resistance to the French invaders is also proudest and the most humble example of Romanesque architecture in legendary. The mid-15th century brought renewed vigor with the Zamora. The streets are lined with many other temples, from the development of trade, and a cottage industry in woolen cloth based Church of San Isidoro, built for Sancha, Alfonso VII's sister; to the around the prestigious "Zamoran blanket". Churches of San Pedro, San Ildefonso and La Magdalena. Zamora still boasts fine late-19th century architecture. A unique The Romanesque masonry of the Church of Santa María has gone example of modernism may be found in its semi-circular market, down in history as the scene of the so-called Trout Rebellion, in which where architecture was put to the service of the people. The bandstand many Zamoran and old casino are nobles burned to further examples. death inside the The Principal church during this Theater dates from "plebian" revolt. The 1876. It is said that peasants were so María Guerrero used upset by the nobility's to like to perform continual abuse of here so that she had power that they an excuse to come to decided to set fire to the land of proper the church where the Castilian Spanish. rich and powerful had gathered. In righteous revenge, all perished.

These streets also hold reminders of the stubborn opposition of the town's citizens during the Comunero Wars. Captained by the rebel

Palace of noble and regal pilgrims

which he regarded the area. The palace ended up as badly damaged as Zamora of Doña Urraca, the rebel armies were, so much so that it had to be rebuilt at the Zamora of the young Cid, beginning of the 16th century. This work was commissioned by the Zamora of King Sancho. 4th Count of , Enrique Enríquez de Guzmán. Ah, treacherous Bellido! Zamora of eye-filled towers, The 15th century was a time of great confusion. Poverty and Zamora of severe fairy tales. opulence mixed and intermingled. This was the age of the Catholic My romantic Zamora, Monarchs, and of wars of succession. The century saw Fernando, the Castile's bit of heaven, Catholic King, defeat the noblemen who supported the daughter of of heroic legends Enrique IV of in battle at the lovely nearby town of Toro. and distant ballads. Zamora, asleep in the flowing arms of father Duero.

ANTHOLOGY, Miguel De Unamuno

T his palace, today a Parador, is located on a site formerly occupied by a Moorish castle. Records of the period indicate that it was built in the late Middle Ages, around 1459, by order of Enrique Enríquez de Mendoza, first Count of Aliste and uncle of Fernando II of Aragon and Castile. Some half a century later, these lands would be the scene of the failed Comunero rebellions against the policies of Emperor Carlos V and the continued disdain with

2 ZAMORA AND ITS PARADOR During this period the wheels of the terrible machinery of the Inquisition were put in Amidst this misery, the palace and Parador was motion by the avenging wrath of vicious often a glorious island and refuge. The 4th Count of Torquemada. -with no remaining Moors Aliste added the sumptuous décor, even including, it or Christians with royal aspirations- now is said, some of the cathedral's treasures. Some of the became One, Great, and Free. Columbus and most important people of the time passed along its other adventurers conquered the Americas magnificent Renaissance cloister and richly carved and created an empire on which the sun never Norman balconies and staircases. The function rooms set. used by today's visitors once sheltered the Catholic Monarchs, Felipe III and Margarita of Austria. This was the Zamora of this palace and fortress. They were times of uncertainty and This has always been one of the town's most unrest, when the city streets were the scene of emblematic buildings. It is universally admired for its life-threatening struggles. Everything had to beautiful lines and the riches stored inside. In 1570, be fought for: first safety, and then freedom. Anton Van den Wyngaerden's painting "A View of Weapons of all kinds were employed in the Zamora" depicted it as one of the best and most battle, from money to daggers. Bribes, elegant monuments in Zamora. treason, and uprisings were common currency. Still, such a singular building was also to know However, they were also years of more prosaic times. In the mid-18th century, a consecrated faith after the manner of the magistrate called Juan Romualdo Ximénez decided time. Faith was often confused with charity, to build an orphanage. He chose to locate it in the miracles, witchcraft, and heresies, and the palace, for which he paid the sum of 120,000 reales. brilliance of the roads, all of which led to Santiago.

The streets of Zamora were rather more like narrow, winding alleyways lit by the occasional torch, if they were lit at all. The houses crowded together in poverty along streets without drains. Animals, especially chickens and pigs, were as much the companions of passers-by as domestic residents.

Remote belfries

1. Cathedral 2. Castle 13 3. San Isidoro 6 4. San Pedro and San Idelfonso 11 15 5. La Magdalena 10 2 14 6. Santa María la Nueva 3 5 4 7. San Cipriano 7 1 8. Santa María de la Horta 12 9. Santo Tomé 8 9 10. Santiago el Viejo or Santiago de los Caballeros 11. Encarnación Hospital (currently occupied by the town council) 12. Cordón Palace (now the Provincial Museum) 13. Momos Palace (now the law courts) 14. The Old Town Hall 15. San Juan

ZAMORA AND ITS PARADOR 3 Castilian If possible, try the local river Trout prepared Sanabria Style, Marinated, or simply fried. The Tench may be a less noble fish, but it and border cuisine is still excellent. Order the local frog's legs or the excellent Crayfish, which is usually served either blushing with T hroughout these dry lands, irrigated hot spices or marinated in cognac or some areas, plains and mountains we will other liquor. always find that farmer "who loved the land more Peppers are the most typical of the than the Lord," in the words of Berceo. We have region's many vegetable offerings. They seen him in his village house "where there is a are served stuffed with a wide variety of large kitchen (always with kettles, pans and unusual fillings. glazed pots), a stone slab in the chimney, and a pleasant small room filled with a collection of Cod dishes are prepared with special pots containing honeys and syrups, hams, pig's care in this area. Zamora is of course ears in salt, sausages, bags of walnuts, bunches of closely linked to lands where "bacalhao" is grapes and quinces hanging from long poles. the daily bread. It is frequently served with There is also a large yard full of black and white a garlic, egg and paprika sauce, Tío Style, pigs and boars; a crude winepress for squeezing as it is known in the area. the grapes in autumn; deep containers packed with There are also more substantial dishes, grain and large jars, some such as Goat prepared in a variety of ways, full of oil, others full of above all roasted or Cochifrito Style; wine." Zamora-Style Suckling Lamb; or the excellent beef of the free-range cattle of "And above this all is the Sanabria, whose meat is beyond all compare. dovecote, from which the doves emerge through small There are as many cold meats as anyone holes and swiftly fly out could ever wish for, and special mention over the landscape." should go to the chorizo sausage, sometimes smoked, sometimes spicy. In 1982, Ramón Sender, son of the writer of the The varieties of cheese are many, usually same name, stayed at the made from sheep's milk. The dessert selection Parador while looking into offers something to suit all palates, from his mother's death. He Zamora-Style Rebojo Sponge Cake, recalled that he and his Liquor Cakes from Alcañices, Pine Nut sister had come to live here after their mother had died, when he was Cakes from Villadeciervos, and Maimón Bundt Cake. Nor three years old and it was still an should we forget the traditional Zamaro-style bacon and eggs, which orphanage. is always eaten on Easter Sunday.

In his book “Death in Zamora”, he recounts the powerful We would of course be remiss not to wash down our meal with the experience of seeing the main staircase again and realizing that its excellent Wines of Toro, and Benavente. beautiful image had never left him.

Just as the Palace was used by the kings and queens of the 17th century, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía have also enjoyed the building as a Parador de Turismo.

Diners would do well to approach the Zamoran table with all due ritual and deliberation, which the cuisine of Zamora can well reward. A prudent start would be a Garlic Soup or Zamoran Rice, often served with potatoes, pork jowls and pig's ear, and bacon.

4 ZAMORA AND ITS PARADOR Through it a vital step towards the Romanesque style. and Ricobayo. Our next destination is two the passages of history villages separated by a dam. The landscape continues to be filled with surprises, especially the great waterfall through which the dam drains. Toro. The Duero River is the backbone running across Zamora At the bottom, a narrow canyon flanked by enormous rock walls tells from east to west. It flows into Zamora from the province of us we are near the Duero and its incredible Arribes. Valladolid through the historic town of Toro. There is no better viewpoint from Moveros. Before we reach Alcañices, which to contemplate this mythical the N-122 takes us to the tiny village of river. Moveros, whose main attraction is its survival as a center for traditional Toro probably owes its name to the pottery work. The women of the village large Celtiberian stone figure found in keep the tradition alive by producing their the town during the resettlement famous water jugs. carried out under Alfonso III (10th century). The bull sculpture can still be . Here too it is the local seen near the Santa Catalina Arch. women who craft the earthenware pots glazed with kaolin from nearby deposits. The Collegiate Church. This is a beautiful example of Romanesque Hunting Nature Reserve. As we architecture from the 12th and 13th head towards , we enter the centuries. It reflects two trends of the Culebra Mountains and the countryside time in its two different colors of stone. The sacristy museum has turns to a rough landscape dominated by pine and oak woods. In the some fine exhibits, including a painting of the Virgin of Mosca. middle of the nature reserve, the small village of Riomanzanas lies The Striking West, or Majestad, Pórtico, displays truly off to the left. This is one of the province's most beautiful spots, splendid polychrome work. located right on the border with Portugal. Villadeciervos is another option. The town's urban architecture, dominated by hewn stone, has Las Arribes. Immediately after passing through the capital, the earned it the status of artistic and historic site of interest. Duero approaches an area known as Arribes. The rock walls of this deep gorge can be up to more than 200 meters in height. This natural On the way back to the capital, at Fonfría we can turn off towards phenomenon lies along the road to Bermillo de , the main , famous for its embroidery work. town in the area.

Fermoselle. From we can set off for Fermoselle, the Duero and the Portuguese border. To the right, a roads leads off to Fornillos de Fermoselle and Pinilla de Fermoselle. Near this town are beautiful "balconies" from which to appreciate the marvels that the Duero has wrought over centuries of flowing through these rocks.

Returning to the main road, just after a small rise we suddenly come upon the town of Fermoselle. It sits atop a steep hill whose terraces lead gently down to the waters of the Duero.

This topography creates a special microclimate favorable to crops which it is unusual to find in the area, such as olives and fruit trees. The special qualities of the land ensure the exceptional aroma, moderate alcohol content, and excellent deep red color of local wines.

Visigothic art. Some twelve kilometers away, a turning leads off to one of the most important examples of Spanish Visigoth temple Parador de Zamora art: San Pedro de la Nave. The simple structure was built in the Condes de Alba y Aliste 7th century. Its simplicity and the original interior decoration make Plaza de Viriato, 5. 49001 Zamora Tel.: +34980 51 44 97 - Fax: +34 980 53 00 63 e-mail: [email protected] Reservation Center Requena, 3. 28013 Madrid (España) Tel.: 902 54 79 79 - Fax: 902 52 54 32 www.parador.es / e-mail: [email protected] wap.parador.es/wap/

Texts: Miguel García Sánchez Design: Fernando Aznar

ZAMORA AND ITS PARADOR 5