Zafra

Zafra, also known as Sevilla la Chica, is located in the very heart of Lower Extremadura, on a plain at the foot of the rocky escarpments of the Sierra de Castellar.

The consolidation of the city begins thanks to the strategic transit point that was the “Vía de la Plata” of Roman Hispania. Inherent to this historic mercantile tradition is its San Miguel livestock fair.The town is presided over by the 15th-century Álcazar. Its exterior has a military appearance, but the interior resembles a palace. The Renaissance cloister in the central courtyard is of particular notice. It currently houses a Parador de Turismo. The medieval town is structured in its surroundings, made up of narrow streets with a peculiar layout shaped like a turtle shell. A stone wall from the 15th century completely surrounded it, with three of the original eight gates still standing. The arched Plaza Grande is located in the very center of the town. Connected to it through the popular “Arquillo del Pan”, you will find its smaller counterpart, the Plaza Chica. But the monumental heritage of Zafra is vast: the sumptuous collegiate church of La Candelaria, erected in 1546, with three altarpieces inside, one of them by Zurbarán and another by Churriguera; the parish church of San José; numerous convents, predominantly from the 16th century; the Hospital of Santiago, founded in the 16th century, etc. As for civil architecture, there are numerous hidalgo manor houses from the 16th to the 18th centuries, and middle-class mansions from the 19th century.