by Nick Nutter

Created on: June 18, 2008

Caceres, Extremadura, A Walled Renaissance Town
In the centre of Extremadura is Caceres. A World Heritage Site since 1986 and declared a Place of Historical Artistic Interest, by Royal decree no less, in 1949, it held the promise of great things; and provided them, although not entirely what was expected.

As you approach the old town, sat on the highest point of course, you will notice the warm yellow sandstone walls that totally encircle the hill. There are only three gates breaching the walls that allow access to vehicles and pneumatic stumps guard each one, the modern version of the portcullis. For the pedestrians there are another four gates through the well-maintained perimeter. For those who like a little trek then a walk around the interior base of the walls will take about one hour and gives you the opportunity to admire the twenty-two fortified towers. This is worth doing because it gives you a realistic idea of the size of the place, not very large. Yet this area is crammed with about seventy buildings, palacios, churches, museum and casas that the tourist board encourage you to visit.

You will probably find yourself in the large and imposing Plaza Mayor, which is just outside the walls and, from its cafes and restaurants, offers a fine view of the town. This plaza is 'the' place to be in Caceres and it is around here that you will find the restaurants. The local specialities include suckling pig and goat.

Wandering through the narrow, claustrophobic streets, it is virtually impossible to get lost, even if you do use the tourist map. What do you see? Monumental buildings, but no humble abodes. Where did the peasants live? What exactly has happened with this town? Another thing may strike you, the building style; it's all relatively modern, well aprs 1450, no medieval, no Arabic, certainly no Roman. And what about the sinister statue of a hooded figure carrying a cross alongside a desiccated monk with a leper's bell just outside the walls?

Suitably intrigued it was time to find the answers to these questions. As ever the best place to start was the museum, which is situated in the Casa de las Veletas o los Algibes, a bit of a mouthful, but it is the large building right at the top of the old town. There exhibits take you from the Paleolithic, through the Neolithic, Megalithic, copper, bronze and iron ages and, hardly pausing for breath, into the Roman period. The Romans did have a town here; they called it Norba Caesarina, although nothing now survives

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