Ávila

Ávila, in full Ávila de los Caballeros, town in central Spain, capital of Ávila Province, in Castilla-León, on the Adaja River near Madrid. The city is a commercial and tourist centre situated in a livestock-raising region. Many fine monuments of medieval architecture remain, including a Gothic cathedral dating mostly from the 14th century and the well-preserved dark granite walls of the ancient city with imposing gates and surmounted by many turrets, which date mainly from the 12th century. The Old Town of Ávila was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Population 53,272 (2006 estimate).