The Republican journal., 1900-09-06


A drive of six hours, over African
/ like plains, broken by boulders of gray
rock, brings you to Zamora, perched on
its steep hilltop above the Duero river
"a town, whose name awakens thou
sand recOllections of medieval chivalrv
and romance. Doubtless it's name was
derived from the Arabic samurah.
Spanish zamarra) meaning sheep-skin
jackets, worn by the peasant-warriors
of other days. Some old books call it
The eye of the Duero." Placed on the
river bank, it was an important strong
hold against Moorish invasion, and
Its arms still show it's bridge, with
two towers and a flag. History says
that Zamora was recovered from the
intidels in the year AS, by Alfonso de
Catolico; but was again beseiged. by
Abdul -rahman, in the summer of 7S7,
when desperate battle was fought for
its relief by Ramero II. After that,
the town was rendered almost unassail-
able by being enclosed within seven
lines of walls, between each wall a
wide, deep moat. However, it was re-
taken and destroyed by the great Al
Mansur, in which battle forty thousand
Moors were killed: and in 1865, Ferdi-
nand L, rebuilt the city and presented it
to his daughter, the bona Urraca.
An hours time is all you need devote
to Zamora. You enter the town bv an
ancient. gate-defended bridge, of seven
teen pointed arches, over the deep and
rushing Duero, and find yourselves at
once i'll its single, long. narrow street.
winding along the breezy hilltop and
dominated by an immense mosque-like.
granite cathedral. This Eleventh cen
fury sanctuary church half-for-
tress, directly overhanging the river, is
about the only sight of consequence.
Its curious dome is much like that of
the Salamanca cathedral, and its one
Romanesque tower is short square and
massive, with windows in three tiers.
increasing in numbers upwards. There
are four turrets also, with four gables
between them Oh the same level. placed
against the spring of vault, with lovely
arcading. The transept has fine,
round ,arched doorway, with singular
scroll-like mouldings and Romanesque
capitals. The interior is round in plan,
with sixteen round windows. from which
the ribs run up straight to the apex-like
section of an orange. 1t is full of in
teresting tombs, old paintings and a
great deal of magnificent carving-to
say nothing of priceless tapestries. vest
ments and church service including the
''monstrance' of solid silver, Gothic.
of the 18th century, two yards high
and Of exquisite workmanship. 1t is
said to be the finest in Spain: and, as
elsewhere in this country. is used only
on Corpus Christa day, placed on the
high altar, mounted on silver stand
and surrounded by silver steps.
The next stopping place is Medina
del Campo, CITY of the Plain where,
if you like, you may join the railway
line for Nalladolid. Though the chief
place of the finest Wheat-groWing dis
trict OF Spain, Medina is a duh old
town. whose only recommendation is
historic interest and the picturesque
ness Of its curious old walls and medi;p-
val structures. More interesting than
anything within the old walled town,
with its numerous ugly churches of red
brick, is the partially ruined Castillo
del Mota, l''Castle of the Moat,") situa-
ted about a mile from the railway sta
ton. The quaint brick buildings, with
bartizan towers, was erected for that
jolly monarch Juan ii, i'll 144o, Oh the
site of the Roman Methimna and
eighty years later Queen Isabella en-
larged and improved it, 1t was the
long time prison of Cesar Bargia: and
within it Queen Isabella. the Pious,
gave up the ghost. in 1904, IN the fifty
fourth year OF her age and the thirtieth
of her reign. Juana La Loca, 1.-THE
Crazy, also held court here. III 1855.
FANNIE B. WARD.