(Redirected from Trujillo, Spain)
'Trujillo' is a town in
Spain, in the
Extremadura region. Originally the
Roman town was called Turgalium, which is probably of
Celtic origin
[1]. The town now calls itself the "Cradle of the
Conquistadors", having been the birthplace of many men who sought their fortune in the
New World. Celts, Romans,
Moors, and
Christians have inhabited Trujillo over the centuries.
Trujillo has a population of 9,219 (
2001 census). It is situated in the province of
Cáceres at and its altitude is 564 metres above
sea level. It is connected to
Cáceres, at 47
kilometres to the east, by RN 521, and to Madrid, about 250 kilometres to the northeast, by N-V . Trujillo municipality has an area of 655 km².
Trujillo has a
castle which overlooks the town and the surrounding plains. A
fortification had existed for a long time before it was occupied by the
Moors. It came into Christian hands in
1233.
Juan II officially made it a city in
1431. The castle is on the top of a hill called ''Cabezo de Zorro'' (fox's head), and the patron saint, the Virgin of Victory, is on a window on the top of the castle.
Trujillo was the birthplace of
Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of
Peru, who has a statue on the central square. It was also the birthplace of
Francisco de Orellana and of
Diego Garcia de Paredes the elder. Other monuments include the churches of Santa María (13th century) and San Francisco. It also has palaces such as the Chaves "El viejo" palace where the treatment of "Tanto monta, monta tanto" was signed by the
Catholic Monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand.
Like many smaller towns in Spain, Trujillo has its own bullring. There are generally only one or two fights a year, but the ring is also used for other events.
Trujillo's ''
Plaza Mayor'' (main square) is a bustling area with cafes, restaurants, and shops. A popular festival is the ''Chivirí'', a party celebrated on the Plaza Mayor where people from the town dance traditional dances and eat and drink as they did when they were shepherds and peasants.
Trivia
In the movie ''
Gladiator'',
Maximus tells
Marcus Aurelius of his home and farms near Trujillo, although he should have referred to it by its Roman name of Turgalium.
External link
★
Trujillo - Excelentísimo Ayuntamiento (Cáceres - España) (official site, in Spanish)
★
Photos of Trujillo