Walls of Ávila

Ávila, Spain, Spain

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Walls of Ávila form one of Europe's best-preserved medieval fortifications, encircling the historic old town of Ávila in Castilla y León, Spain, with a 2.5-kilometer perimeter of granite walls averaging 12 meters high and 3 meters thick.

Constructed mainly in the 12th century under Alfonso VI using Moorish labor after 1090, the irregular rectangular enclosure includes 88 semicircular towers, 9 gates like the grand Puerta del Alcázar and Puerta de San Vicente, and integrates the cathedral's apse as a defensive bastion.

 A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985 alongside extramural churches, these crenellated battlements once guarded against invasions, controlled trade, and contained plagues, now welcoming visitors for scenic walks and panoramic city views.