Ciudad Rodrigo - Catedral de Santa María

The area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. The first foundation of a larger settlement can be dated to the 6th century BC - the Vettones, who were already under Celtic influence at this time, founded the town under the name Miróbriga.
During the conquest of Lusitania, the city was conquered by the Romans and called Augustobriga.

After the reconquest in the 12th century, the city was repopulated and walled in by King Ferdinand II of León. The old Visigothic bishopric of Calabria was converted into a new bishopric as a suffragan of the diocese of Santiago de Compostela. This was confirmed by Pope Alexander III in 1175 and led to the construction of the city's cathedral. The first bishop of whom anything certain is known was Pedro (1165).

Although the city flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries, its location between the Portuguese border and Salamanca meant that it was the scene of several armed conflicts. During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), large parts of the city were destroyed. Today the city has around 12,000 inhabitants.

The construction of the cathedral, initially promoted by Ferdinand II of León around 1168 and continued by his successors, took place between the 12th and 14th centuries. The building has undergone various reforms and reconstructions.

Medieval virgin