Ávila 
Ávila is a medieval city in the province of Castile-Léon in western Spain, about 70 miles northwest of Madrid.
Founded in the 11th century to protect the Spanish territories from the Moors, Ávila has a magnificently-preserved city wall, a Romanesque cathedral, a number of medieval churches, and an authentic medieval atmosphere. The entire old town of Ávila has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
But for pilgrims, the city of Ávila is important because of its association with the great mystic and reformer St. Teresa de Jesus, better known as St. Teresa of Ávila. Teresa was a 16th-century Carmelite nun who reformed her order, had many ecstatic visions, and wrote several books. She is the female patron saint of Spain and was the first woman to be named a Doctor of the Church.
Ávila contains two main shrines for pilgrims seeking to honor St. Teresa, along with a few other sites associated with the saint. The primary shrine is the Convento de Santa Teresa (Convent of St. Teresa), a 17th-century convent built over the site of Teresa's birth that contains her relics. The second is the Monasterio de la Encarnacion, where St. Teresa lived and where her cell can be visited.
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Ávila Cathedral
Ávila's unique, fortress-like cathedral was begun in the Romanesque style in the 12th century and later continued in the Gothic style. |
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Basilica de San Vicente
This mostly-Romanesque basilica outside the walls marks the site of the martyrdom of St. Vincent by the Romans. |
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Convento de San José
This is the first convent that St. Teresa founded, in 1562. It contains various relics and memorabilia of the saint. |
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Convento de la Encarnacion
An important pilgrimage stop, this Carmlelite convent is where Teresa lived, wrote, and had many of her mystical experiences. |
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Convento de Santa Teresa
The main shrine of St. Teresa in Ávila, this 17th-century convent stands on the site of Teresa's birth and contains her relics. |
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Los Cuatro Postes
This little shrine ouside the walls marks the spot where, at age seven, St. Teresa's uncle stopped her from running off to seek martyrdom from the Moors. |
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