Medieval city walls, Ávila, Spain Apr 18, 2024

Medieval city walls, Ávila, Spain

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
Apr 18, 2026Rolling hills of Tuscany, Italy

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec 5, 2025Maya site of Copán, Honduras
Aug 22, 2023Amphitheatre of El Jem, Tunisia
Nov 3, 2023Pacific sea nettle jellyfish
Jul 21, 2025Staghorn coral in shallow ocean
Nov 21, 2024Lion cubs, South Africa
May 20, 2025Honey bee on lavender flowers
Sep 4, 2025Grizzly bears
Mar 25, 2026Juvenile manatees in a freshwater spring, Crystal River, Florida
Jun 9, 2024Bardenas Reales Biosphere Reserve and Natural Park, Navarra, Spain
Oct 24, 2023Füzér Castle in the Zemplén Mountains, Hungary
Feb 3, 2025Ribblehead Viaduct, North Yorkshire, England
Sep 2, 2024Red-and-green macaws, Brazil
Oct 16, 2024Jurassic Coast, Dorset, England
Aug 30, 2023Whale shark, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Oct 7, 2023Grizzly bears, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA
Aug 22, 2025Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington, United States
Oct 28, 2023Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Oct 6, 2024Coyote Gulch, Glen Canyon Recreation Area, Utah
Dec 8, 2025Domaso, Lake Como, Italy
Jun 11, 2025Greater flamingos
Jan 19, 2026Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
Dec 23, 2025Lagazzuolo Lake, Valmalenco, Lombardy, Italy
June 1, 2026Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Mar 29, 2026Peggys Point Lighthouse, Atlantic Coast, Nova Scotia, Canada
May 9, 2024Tulips at Emirgan Park in Istanbul, Türkiye
Dec 26, 2023Dedham, Colchester, England
Oct 17, 2024Kochia, Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
May 3, 2025Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Sep 17, 2023Cuban tody, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba
Apr 17, 2025Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador