Muralla urbana de Llerena
The Muralla urbana de Llerena is a medieval defensive wall that once encircled the city in Badajoz province. Built from stone with an oval shape, it originally featured multiple gates and towers, of which only fragments remain today including the Puerta de Montemolín and Puerta de la Reina, both showing architectural details from later centuries.
The city was founded by Muslims in the 11th century as Ellerina and became strategically contested territory. Christian forces under Pelay Pérez Correa captured it in 1243, after which it became the headquarters of the Order of Santiago in Extremadura and was declared a city by King Felipe IV in 1640.
The name derives from the Arabic settlement Ellerina, reflecting the city's long history as a multicultural crossroads. Today the remaining walls and gates serve as symbols of civic identity, with the Puerta de Montemolín appearing chapel-like and marking the transitions between the old town and surrounding areas.
The walls are free to visit and open to the public for walking. The best approach is to wander the narrow streets of the old town where wall fragments are visible, allowing you to see the remaining structure from different angles.
A local legend recounts that during the 1243 battle, the Virgin Mary appeared to Christian fighters holding a pomegranate, giving them strength to prevail. This vision later inspired the construction of a church dedicated to the Virgin of the Pomegranate built over the site of a former mosque.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
