The city was founded early in theBronze Age and was later occupied during theIron Age by the Celtic people of theVacceos who called it Ocalam.[2]
After the Roman victory over the Lusitanian heroViriathus the settlement was named by theRomansOccelum Durii orOcellodurum (literally, "Eye of theDuero"). During Roman rule it was in the hands of theVaccaei, and was incorporated into the Roman province ofHispania Tarraconensis. It was on the road from Emerita (modernMérida) to Asturica Augusta (modernAstorga). (Ant. Itin. pp. 434, 439).
Two coins from the reign of theVisigothic kingSisebuto, show that it was known at the time as "Semure".
Following the campaigns ofMusa ibn Nusayr in the 710s in the context of theUmayyad conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the town was conquered and a Berber garrison was left in the there, but following theArab-Berber strifes, the territory was reportedly seized byAlfonso I of Asturias.[3] Not much attention was paid however to the place in the chronicles from this period, as Asturian human resources at the time were mostly targeted at the Cantabrian coast and little is known about the inhabitants of the Duero Valley.[3]
According to the chronicle of Al-Andalus byIsa ibn Ahmad al-Razi [es],Alfonso III of Asturias determined the Christian repopulation of the place in 280AH (893–894 AD) (although the dates of 881, 899 and 910 AD have been also reported).[3]A diocese and a bishop were established in the town in the early 10th century.[4]Mozarab builders came from Toledo.[5] The city became one of the most thriving Christian cities in Iberia in the early 10th century, possibly even passingLeón.[5]
Zamora became the target ofIbn al-Qitt, who unsuccessfully tried to invade the city in 901 with help fromNafzāwa [es] Berbers.[6] It was also attacked several times during theCaliphal era, andAlmanzor eventually seized the city in 966.[7] The place returned to Christian control during the reign ofAlfonso V of León.[8]
Since the early 11th century, with the repopulation works byRaymond of Burgundy,[8] the place saw planned repopulating efforts.[9] A new perimeter of city walls was also erected in the 11th century.[10] The populationintramuros included the nobles and regal officers, the clergy, Frank settlers from Gascogne, Poitou and Provence who had installed in the city during the time of Raymond of Burgundy,[11] settlers of Asturian, Leonese and Galician origin, as well as some Mozarabs.[12] Zamora was granted afuero in 1208.[13]
The most notable historic episode in Zamora was the assassination outside the city walls of the kingSancho II of Castile in 1072. Some decades before, kingFerdinand I of León had divided his kingdoms between his three sons. To his daughter, DoñaUrraca, he had bequeathed the "well fortified city of Zamora" (or "la bien cercada" in Spanish). All three sons warred among themselves, till the ultimate winner, Sancho, was left victorious. Zamora, under his sister who was allied with Leonese nobles, resisted.Sancho II of Castile, assisted byEl Cid, laid siege to Zamora. King Sancho II was murdered by a duplicitous noble of Zamora,Bellido Dolfos, who tricked the king into a private meeting. After the death of Sancho, Castile reverted to his deposed brotherAlfonso VI of León. The event was commemorated by the Portillo de la Traición (Treason Gate).
In the late middle ages, Zamora was one of the 17 cities (18 after the inclusion of Granada) that enjoyed a vote at the Cortes of the Crown of Castile, actually speaking on behalf of all of Galicia since the early 15th century (Galicia did not have any city with representation until the 17th century).[14]
Zamora was also the scene of fierce fighting in the 15th century, during the conflict between the supporters ofIsabella the Catholic andJuana la Beltraneja. The Spanish proverb,No se ganó Zamora en una hora, literally,Zamora wasn't won in an hour, is a reference to these battles. It is the Spanish equivalent of the English proverb "Rome wasn't built in a day."
During the 12th century, the city was extraordinarily important for its strategic position in the wars between theKingdom of León and theAlmoravids andAlmohads. As a result, the city preserves many churches and buildings from that time. In the 1140s and 1150s it was ruled by PrincePonce Giraldo de Cabrera, who has a street named after him in the city today.
Henry IV granted Zamora the epithet of "most noble and most loyal city".
Zamora's Jewish community came to an end with theexpulsion of 1492. At that time the city was one of the principal crossing points intoPortugal, with chroniclers reporting that around 30,000 Jews passed through Zamora towardMiranda do Douro. Some former residents later returned asconversos.[15] Soon after the expulsion, the Crown granted the community's "Great Synagogue" to the city to be converted into the church ofSan Sebastián, and in 1493 confirmed the donation to the local confraternity for use as a hospital and shelter for the poor. Records indicate that the synagogue was eventually dismantled and its materials reused.[15] Because of its frontier location Zamora also became a center of smuggling, leading the Crown between 1493 and 1495 to launch investigations into property, debts, and contraband left behind or carried out by the exiles.[15]
The city leaned towards support to theRevolt of the Comuneros in the northern hemisphere Fall of 1520.[16] By September 1520, thecorregidor appointed by the Crown was ousted and replaced by analcalde designated by the community.[17] However, the hopes of the rebels across the Crown of Castile were handed a crushing blow at theBattle of Villalar on 23 April 1521.[18]
In the Early Modern Period, the city lost its political and economic relevance and suffered emigration, especially to South America (where many other cities called Zamora were founded).
According to the Godoy Census, the city had a population of 10,171 in 1797.[19]
During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), the savagery of the repression against leftists and liberals is captured in Ramón Sender Barayón's 'A Death in Zamora', which tells of the extrajudicial murder of his mother, Amparo Barayon, the wife of the famous novelist Ramon Sender.
Located in the north-west of theIberian Peninsula, the city lies at about 649 metres above sea level,[20] around a rocky hill near theDuero river some 50 kilometres (31 mi) upstream of thePortuguese border.
The municipality expands across a total area of 149.28 km2.[21]
Zamora has acold semi-arid climate (Köppen:BSk), with cool winters and hot summers. Precipitation is mainly recorded during two seasons, spring and autumn, with summer characterized by droughts. The highest temperature ever recorded is 41.8 °C (105 °F) on 14 July 2022 while the minimum stood at −13.4 °C (8 °F) on 16 January 1945. Fog is common during winters, frequently decreasing morning temperatures.
Climate data for Zamora (1991–2022), extremes (1920-present)
Palacio de los Condes de Alba y Aliste, built in 1459 by the first Count of Alva y Aliste. It boasts a patio and staircase decorated with carvings by artists fromLombardy.
Calle Balborraz.
Church ofSan Pedro y San Ildefonso, built from the 11th century, probably over a Visigothic temple. It was reformed in Romanesque style in the 12th–13th centuries, but was much renovated in the 15th and 18th centuries. It has presently a single nave withcross vaults
Church ofSan Isidoro (12th century). It has one nave, having a square major chapel. The exterior features two ogival arcades witharchivolts.
Church ofSan Claudio de Olivares, known from the 12th century. Of small size, it has a single nave with apresbytery and a semicircular apse. The columns of the nave have carvings.
Church of San Juan de Puerta Nueva (12th century stained glass circular window, symbol of Zamora).
Church of Santa María la Nueva (12th century, baptistery dating back to the 13th century).
Church ofSantiago de los Caballeros (11th century), located outside the city walls.El Cid was created knight here.
Church of Santiago El Burgo (Southern façade, 12th century Romanesque)
City walls: three walled enclosures dating back to the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries.
Museo de Semana Santa de Zamora: Opposite the Church of Santa María la Nueva, dedicated toSemana Santa de Zamora the processions during which are celebrated with particular ceremony in Zamora. The museum holds a large collection of pasos, the figures which are carried in procession through the streets by various 'cofradías' or brotherhoods. SeeHoly Week in Zamora
Museo de Zamora: Local history museum with an archeological collection and chronological displays ranging from prehistoric inhabitants of the region to Roman and modern models.[24]
The Church ofSan Pedro de la Nave, (village of El Campillo – 12 km, 7½ miles distant) was founded in the 7th century, rebuilt in the 12th century, and is one of the three best-preserved Visigothic churches in all of Spain. It was moved stone by stone and then re-erected, owing to the construction of a reservoir on its original site.
The city is served by theZamora Railway Station, located on one of theSpanish North-Northwestern high speed lines. All major Spanish bus companies and some local companies operate out of theEstación de Autobuses de Zamora, which connects Zamora to neighboring cities, such as Salamanca and Benavente, as well as nearby pueblos, major cities such as Valladolid and Madrid, and further destinations around Spain and Europe.[25]
Food specialties in Zamora include the pulses, the chickpeas or 'garbanzos' from Fuentesauco, the exquisite cheese made from sheep's milk, honey from Sanabria, asparagus from Guareña, peppers from Benavente, steak from Aliste, mushrooms, game, cold meats, cakes and sweets.
Other specialties are the rice dishes from Zamora and the Toro wines (very dark, almost black, nowadays made using modern techniques – with a rapidly growing reputation for their taste and quality).Traditional dishes includebacalao a la tranca (a cod dish),figones (a friterad ball with chorizo, cheese and ham inside),pulpo a la sanabresa (an octopus dish),dos y pingada (two fried eggs with fried ham, usually served at Easter) andpresas de ternera (a beef dish). For dessert there is therebojo Zamorano, a very tasty though hard type of bun, andlas natillas almendradas (Spanish style custard with almonds).
^abcBeinart, Haim (2001).The Expulsion of the Jews from Spain. Littman Library of Jewish Civilization. Vol. 1. Translated by Jeffrey M. Green. Oxford: The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization in association with Liverpool University Press. pp. 96–97, 286,305–307, 385.
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