Constructed during the 12th century, this is the monument that best identifies the city. It served as a military defence, as a barrier to prevent the spread of disease, as a tax border and finally as a support for other buildings. It has a perimeter of 2.5 kms, 88 watch towers and 9 gateways. Many repairs and restorations have been carried out over the centuries in order to conserve these walls. In fact all the people from Avila participated in the wall maintenance, without taking their religion or social status into account. In this way, the aristocrats and noblemen did the rounds, the citizens and “good men” supervised, the peasants brought the necessary materials and cleaned the ditch, the Moslems carried out the labour and the Jews brought the iron.
