Puerta del Carmen (Avila)

City Gate, City Walls and Convent in Ávila

AVILA MURALLA PUERTA DEL CARMEN
CC BY-SA 3.0 / Concepcion AMAT ORTA

The Puerta del Carmen is one of the most stunning gates of the Wall of Ávila and undoubtedly the most sought after by visitors. From it you can find spectacular views of the entire North on the city.
The Puerta del Carmen gets its name because a Carmelite convent was attached there, later Provincial Prison. The current Provincial Historical Archive has been built on its remains . The most recognizable vestige of that convent complex is the brick belfry. An element photographed for the spectacular stork nests that settle there.

The archaeological intervention carried out on this door allowed us to verify how one of the towers of the door had been conceived hollow, with plaster inside and that, later, it was filled. It is the only one in the entire enclosure of the walls in which this circumstance has been verified. The other eight doors do not have this peculiar feature.

The Puerta del Carmen corresponds to an entrance with a clear skew . This means that, to access from the outside, a turn must be made, preventing it from being channeled in a straight way. It is a formula widely used in Muslim military architecture. It guaranteed a better defense by preventing a frontal attack. It also differs from other entrances because the towers that surround it have a square floor plan. In the rest of the gates, the ground plan of the towers is circular. This was in fact the most typical form of these constructions.

Those who have made a reservation at the Parador de Ávila will find their best access point on foot here. However, the enclosure has its own parking and it is possible to access it by car. Do not hesitate and look at the prices on your next tourist visit to Ávila.

 


The Puerta del Carmen (Avila) appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Ávila!

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Visiting Puerta del Carmen (Avila)

Address: Acceso muralla. Puerta del Carmen Pl. Concepción Arenal, 1 05001 Ávila Spain
Duration: 20 minutes

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