It's a city east of Madrid most likely founded over the ruins of the Celtiberian castrum of Obila mentioned by Pliny the elder, during the XI century by the king Alfonso VI of Leon. It was primarily a military city, used by knights who were to defend the borders from Toledo to Extremadura from any Saracen attack. According to contemporary documents, it was populated by Asturians, Navarrese, Cantabrians, Navarrese, Aragonese, Occitans, and Christians fleeing Al-Andalus.

And it was the home of Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of Avila, two mystics from the XVI century that influenced the Tridentine reformation, and some of the friars martyred in Nagasaki. People visiting it at XIX century described it as a city stuck in Dark Ages, although it was strongly reformed with a lot of old buildings from previous centuries getting demolished, and yet it still has a lot of buildings from that time.

Here are some pictures I want to share from the Cathedral and from the monastery of the city.