Tordesillas, Historical municipality in Valladolid Province, Spain.
Tordesillas is a town on the Douro riverbank in Valladolid Province, central Spain. The old quarter groups around the Plaza Mayor with its vaulted arcades from the 17th century and several churches from different periods.
In 1494, Spanish and Portuguese envoys signed the Treaty of Tordesillas here, dividing the world into two spheres of influence. This agreement allowed Portugal to colonize Brazil while Spain claimed most of the Americas.
The Convent of Santa Clara opens its doors for visitors who can walk through the courtyard gardens and the royal chambers where Queen Joanna lived. The walls still show original Mudéjar ornaments and Moorish arches that recall the Muslim past of the Iberian Peninsula.
The town sits about 19 miles (30 kilometers) southwest of Valladolid and connects by regional roads to the A-6 motorway. Parking areas lie near the edge of the old quarter, from where all landmarks are within walking distance.
The Douro has a natural ford here that served as a crossing since Roman times and gave the town its strategic importance. This ford made the place a meeting point for diplomats and traders during the Middle Ages.
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