Two UNESCO Sites. . .Sort Of

Faithful readers of the blog know that we are huge fans of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  It’s usually a seal of approval that the site is mind-blowingly, stunningly, amazingly worth going to see.  The city of Avila is a UNESCO site, and rightfully so.  

There are a couple of UNESCO churches outside the walls of Avila.  The first of our visits was to the Basilica de San Vincente.

Located just across the street outside the walls, the Basilica features a beautiful Romanesque-arch arcade facing the walls.  One tower was under renovation and draped in the green protective netting, but otherwise the church displays an understated cool factor.

Constructed in the 12th century, the church features three Christian martyrs who were killed by the Romans are buried in a huge colorful centrograph.  You don’t need a long time to tour the church, but it is worth the short visit.

The Roman arch arcade is the most

impressive feature of the church.

This is what pre-Renaissance art looks like.

I find it fascinating.

There's a lot going on in these scenes,

even if the people are portrayed

quite stiffly.

The second one we went to is the Real Monasterio de Santo Tomas.  It’s a bit outside the city walls, an estimated 20 minute from the walls.  We drove to it on the day we were leaving.  It’s actually the second time ever I was disappointed by a UNESCO World Heritage Site (the other is just outside of the island that Strasbourg, France is centered on, called the “Place de La Republic”)

(Editor’s Note: I thought you liked Strasbourg.  Writer: The island part, most definitely.  The bureaucratic office building area built in the late 1800s, not so much!)

A service was going on when we got to the Real Monasterio de Santo Tomas, so we first checked out the cloisters, of which there are three, the most impressive being the cloister of the Kings.  

When the service let out, we went into the church.  The highlight of the church is the sepulcher of don Juan, the only male child of Isabella and Ferdinand.  He died at age 21 of a fever, and had a hard life (and death).  He was born with a cleft lip, had a stutter, frequently vomited, and often fainted. After his death, the child his wife was expecting died. In the early 1800s, his remains were stolen by the French, and the remains have never been found.

The monastery took eleven years to build, starting in 1482.  Beyond that there is not a lot of note to the church.  While UNESCO usually means "you must go," in this case, it means "nah."  (Carol liked the monastery more than I did, but she's just nicer than I am.)

From the inside, even the

rose window disappoints.

One of the cloisters.

The symbol of Isabella and Ferdinand.

Their son John, who had a tough life.

By all accounts he was beloved by

the people, but never got to be king.