Salvatierra de los Barros

Salvatierra de los Barros is situated to the west of Zafra, approximately 30kms drive, and is an attractive town topped by a restored castle.

The castle dates back to the end of the 12th century and it's construction was to mark the reconquest of this part of Extremadura from the Moors. Its design was based on Syrian castles that had impressed Spanish Crusaders during the First Crusade.

There are other interesting architectural points of interest associated with the town including the Convent of Santa Maria de Jesus and the Ice Well, situated just outside of the town at an altitude of over 800m. This deep well was tasked with storing ice for useage throughout the year. The 3rd image to the right shows the well and immediately below is the view down the valley from the other side of the road. The small white patch on the right of that image is the lake just in front of the town of Nogales.

The town of Salvatierra de los Barros is particularly well know for its ceramic arts and is home to many artisans dedicated to pottery. One of these firms produced, and is currently home to, the world's largest Botijo which, at a height of 1.69 metres and with a capacity of 450 litres, is officially recognised by the Guinnes Book of Records. A Botijo is usually a small terracotta container for keeping water cool, but the record holder can be seen to the right. There is a Museum of Pottery in the town celebrating the heritage of the area and detailing the unfolding history of the craft in the area.

See our picture gallery of Salvatierra de los Barros

We'll try to keep adding to these galleries of Salvatierra de los Barros, here in Extremadura, on a regular basis.

If there are any specific pictures of Salvatierra de los Barros that you think we should take to illustrate the town or if you have pictures of Salvatierra de los Barros that you'd like to share, please get in touch.