Medieval city walls, Ávila, Spain Apr 18, 2024

The stone structure in today"s image is part of the medieval city walls of Ávila in Spain. Within the picturesque confines of these Romanesque fortifications lies its cherished Old Town. It"s a place where cobbled streets wind their way past ancient structures, each whispering tales of bygone eras. In 1985, Ávila was included in UNESCO"s World Heritage List. The iconic walls that encircle the town were built by the Spanish to protect their territories from the Moors. Built between the 11th and 14th centuries, these fortifications have a perimeter of 2,516 metres, including 88 towers. When they were first built, they served to defend the city against attacks from outsiders; nowadays, visitors can walk around nearly half of the circumference of the walls, enjoying views of the city and the surrounding countryside.

© Alberto Loyo/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Apr 18, 2025Göreme Historical National Park in Cappadocia, Türkiye

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 14, 2023Russell lupines, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
Aug 16, 2025Colourful beehives, Italy
Jun 1, 2025Barrier reef off Grande Terre, New Caledonia, France
Feb 6, 2025Archway Islands, Wharariki Beach, South Island, New Zealand
May 20, 2024Bee tending a honeycomb
May 28, 2024The Monastery of Roussanou
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Jun 27, 2025Splendid leaf frog
May 22, 2025Baobab trees at sunset, Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
Mar 25, 2025European goldfinches
Nov 11, 2025Externsteine, Teutoburg Forest, Germany
Jun 16, 2024Red fox father and kit, Washington, USA
Sep 8, 2024Abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou
Sep 15, 2024Varenna on Lake Como, Italy
Jan 10, 2025Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
Jul 20, 2025Photo of the moons surface through a telescope
Jan 30, 2024Ayna, Albacete, Spain
Nov 28, 2024Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, Canada
Aug 4, 2024Impala and red-billed oxpecker, South Africa
Aug 2, 2025Petroglyphs near Fruita in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, United States
Oct 18, 2024Central Park, New York, United States
Mar 16, 2025A kingfisher perched on a branch
Oct 1, 2023Lake Bled, Slovenia
Feb 24, 2025Giant cuttlefish, Whyalla, South Australia, Australia
Sep 2, 2023Allens hummingbird
Apr 17, 2025Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador
Jan 14, 2024Whooper swans
Jul 21, 2024Kendwa village, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Sep 21, 2024Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany
May 18, 2025Pont St-Pierre across the Garonne River, Toulouse, France