Prehistory and Ancient Age Since
prehistoric times, this land has been inhabited, particularly nearby
Mount Berrueco, an imposing
granite promontory that sheltered countless primitive populations, from the
Upper Paleolithic to the Romanization. For this reason, it is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in the provinces of Salamanca and
Ávila.
Mount Berrueco has stood as a silent witness to the presence of diverse human cultures for more than twelve millennia. Its enduring significance has led to its protection under Spanish heritage laws, and in 1931 it was officially designated a
Historic-Artistic Monument. Its most
important settlements in chronological order are: •
La Dehesa ·
Upper Paleolithic (Magdalenian), more than 12,000 years ago •
La Mariselva ·
Neolithic and
Chalcolithic, from 5,000 to 2,000 BCE •
El Berroquillo · Early
Bronze Age, from 1,700 to 1,400 BCE •
Cancho Enamorado · Late
Bronze Age, between 1,400 and 1,000 BCE •
Las Paredejas ·
Iron Age (Early), between 750 and 400 BCE •
Los Tejares · Second Iron Age / Romanization, 4th century BCE •
Santa Lucía / El Hontanar ·
Visigothic – Medieval period The excavations carried out at the different settlements on the hill have revealed valuable information about how the climate and vegetation evolved over time. They also offer clues about how communities were structured and organized, how they worked, and which areas they chose to inhabit. Furthermore, it has proven the intense commerce this relatively remote area has due to the discover of objects from the
east of the Mediterranean.
Vettonians One of the most important settlements in the surroundings of Mount Berrueco is
Las Paredejas, located within the municipality of
Medinilla, in the province of Ávila. It sits on a slightly elevated platform at the northern base of Mount Berrueco. This settlement was inhabited by the
Vettones, a
Celtic people who occupied the central region of the Iberian Peninsula.
verraco. A remnant of the Vettonian people that can be found in Puente del Congosto is a
verraco dating from that period. It is located in the Plaza de los Dados, opposite the Town Hall. The
verracos are zoomorphic stone sculptures that commonly depict pigs, wild boars, and bulls. There are over 420 of this sculptures among Spain and Portugal. Their exact meaning remains uncertain, although the main theories suggest they may have served as territorial markers or as mystical or religious symbols of protection.[6]
Romanization The victory of Rome in the
Second Punic War started the
Romanization, the process by which Roman or Latin culture was introduced into the Iberian Peninsula during the period of Roman rule. From the initial Roman conquest of Hispania, the region would remain a Roman province for the next 600 years, although some territories of the Iberian Peninsula took nearly two more centuries to come fully under Roman control. The municipality of Puente del Congosto also preserves vestiges that bear witness to this historical period.
Medieval Age After the
Fall of the Roman Empire, various Germanic peoples—namely the Vandals, Suebi, and Alans—crossed the
Pyrenees and settled in different regions of Hispania. In the territory surrounding what would later become the village of Puente del Congosto, as in the rest of
Vettonia, the
Alans established their control devastating the lands of Vettonia and Lusitania. The Alan regime was short-lived, lasting only from 411 to 418, when they were annihilated by King Wallia, who had entered into a treaty with Emperor Honorius to expel the barbarian peoples that had invaded Hispania. The
Visigothic took control of the Iberian Peninsula after the
Fall of the Roman Empire, Traces of this Germanic culture can still be found in the neighboring towns to this locality, in instance in the "Moor Tomb" (despite the popular name, it is actually a visigothic tomb) located in
Bercimuelle. In the year 711, the
Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula took place, consequently, this land was invaded by Muslims and semi-depopulated from the VIII century until its recovery during the
Reconquista, in this case after the conquest of Ávila by the Christian forces. The territory now occupied by the municipality of Puente del Congosto was located within the area known as the “tierra de nadie” (“no man's land”) or "Desierto del Duero" ("Desert of the Douro"), a vast geographical region situated between the Central System and the Cantabrian Mountains that remained largely semi-depopulated during this period. , husband of
Urraca I of León and Castile. The
repopulation of Salamanca was undertaken by the French nobleman
Raymond of Burgundy (Raimundo de Borgoña) husband of the queen
Urraca I of León and Castile, who played a key role in the Christian reorganization of the territories south of the
Douro River during the early stages of the Reconquista. Raymond led the resettlement of the region with people from northern Castile and Galicia, contributing to the demographic and political consolidation of the area. This process was part of a broader strategy to secure and stabilize the frontier zones that had remained depopulated following the Muslim invasion of the VIII century and the subsequent centuries of conflict.
The emergence of the town of Puente del Congosto dates back to the
11th century. From the very beginning, these lands were incorporated into the
alfoz of
Ávila. The
Mesta was officially established in 1273 by
King Alfonso X, known as 'the Wise', who brought together the shepherds of León and Castile into a guild-like organization to regulate transhumance and safeguard their interests. The Mesta played a pivotal role in the economic development of Castile, particularly through the
wool trade, which became one of the most valuable commodities of the period.
Merino wool, bred in Castile at that period, was renowned for its exceptional softness and fineness, with longer and more durable fibers than other European wools—making it ideal for producing high-quality cloth which was sold to the major textile centers of
Flanders, Italy, and England. In 1442,
Gil González Dávila, a knight from Ávila, was granted royal favor by
King Henry III in recognition of his longstanding loyalty and distinguished service to the Crown. As a consequence, Puente del Congosto was detached from the jurisdiction of Ávila and elevated to the rank of
villa, acquiring its own municipal status (this legally recognized settlement also granted special privileges by the Crown. These privileges often included, apart from self-governance, exemption from certain taxes, and the right to hold markets or fairs), and subsequently granted to him as a
lordship, together with the nearby village of
Cespedosa de Tormes. Gil González was responsible for initiating the
construction of the fortress that still stands today, a work that was later brought to completion by his widow, Doña Aldonza de Guzmán. Following his death in 1479 a bitter rivalry over inheritance of his domains arose between his sons,
Juan Dávila and
Luis de Guzmán. Their conflict centered particularly on the lordship of Congosto, a territory of considerable value due to the generous income
el portazgo (the toll demanded by the lord to cross the bridge) provided. and
Ferdinand II of Aragon, the
Catholic Monarchs. The
Catholic Monarchs were compelled to intervene and ultimately decreed that Juan Dávila would retain control over Cespedosa, while the town and fortress of El Congosto were granted to Luis de Guzmán, commander of the
Military Order of Calatrava. Guzmán died in 1495 without heirs, and as a result, all his possessions devolved to the order, whose lifetime administration had been secured by the Catholic Monarchs only a few years earlier. It is believed that
Queen Isabella I spent the night in the castle, and that
Emperor Charles V also stayed there on his way to
Yuste.
Death of Prince Juan of Asturias The Castle of the Dávila family stands as a silent witness to one of the most poignant episodes in the dynastic
history of Spain. On October 4, 1497, the reign of the
Catholic Monarchs was marked by a deeply personal tragedy: the premature death of their only son,
Prince John of Asturias, in
Salamanca. Over the centuries, a
local legend has taken root, claiming that Queen Isabella, upon learning of her son's grave condition while in
Valencia de Alcántara, attempted to reach Salamanca to be by his side. According to this tradition, she stopped for the night at the fortress of Puente del Congosto, where she is said to have received the devastating news of his death. However, historian Carlos Sánchez offers a different interpretation. He argues that Queen Isabella never set foot in Puente del Congosto during those days. Instead, it was
Margaret of Austria—
Archduchess of Austria and
Princess of Asturias, wife of Prince John—and the Queen's eldest daughter, also named
Isabella, Infanta of Castile and future Queen of Portugal, who were present in the village. Faced with the Prince's deteriorating health, the Catholic Monarchs decided to separate Margaret from her husband due to her pregnancy, fearing that any contagion might endanger the unborn child. Puente del Congosto was chosen as her temporary refuge for two reasons: its proximity to Salamanca and the presence of Pedro de Torres, the Prince's second secretary and trusted governor of the fortress. The Monarchs also deemed it appropriate for their daughter, Infanta Isabella, to travel from Extremadura—where she was preparing for her marriage to the
King of Portugal—to Puente del Congosto, in order to offer comfort to her sister-in-law during those anxious hours. Both princesses arrived in the village on October 2 and spent the night within the castle's semicircular tower. There, they shared moments of deep sorrow and concern. Margaret informed Isabella of her husband's worsening condition, while Isabella did her utmost to console the young Archduchess. They were received with the dignity befitting their rank by Pedro de Torres and the castle's attendants. On the morning of October 3, Infanta Isabella reluctantly departed for Extremadura, though it is believed she would have preferred to continue on to Salamanca to be with her brother. Margaret remained at the fortress for another day, and it was there, on October 4, that she was informed of her husband's death, reportedly from
tuberculosis. The presence of these royal figures left a lasting impression on the local population. So much so, that for over five centuries, the event has been preserved through oral tradition. Yet, as often happens, the story became distorted: popular memory replaced the Archduchess and the Infanta with Queen Isabella herself, perhaps out of a desire to associate the village with such an illustrious figure. This reinterpretation, while historically inaccurate according to Sánchez's research, reflects the community's longing to be part of a momentous chapter in Spain's royal history.
Modern Age In the name of the monarchs, the Calatravan knight Pedro de Torres was appointed governor of the town, and it fell to him to defend the fortress against the assaults of the
Castilian comuneros. In 1518, his son Antonio de Torres obtained lordship over the seigneurial estate. In 1539,
Emperor Charles V detached the town of El Congosto from the Order of Calatrava and granted it to
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, the Grand Duke of Alba, in order to raise funds to finance his costly military
campaigns against the Ottomans. From that moment on, the town became linked to the
Ducal House of Alba de Tormes. , born in
Navarregadilla, was raised in the Castle of Dávila, in Puente del Congosto.
Pedro de la Gasca, the pacifier of Peru, was raised in the Castle of the Dávila family. In recognition of this, a commemorative plaque was placed on the wall of the castle in his honor. He was sent by
Emperor Charles V as president of the
Royal Audiencia of Lima, endowed with extraordinary powers to resolve the conflict triggered by the rebellion of
Gonzalo Pizarro, who opposed the "
New Laws" that sought to curb the abuses committed by the encomenderos. Without an army or military resources, La Gasca relied on his diplomatic skill to persuade Pizarro's followers to switch sides. The successive Dukes of Alba appointed governors to oversee the lordship of El Congosto, who resided in the castle until the 17th century. However, due to the deteriorating living conditions of the fortress and the strategic need to centralize the economic administration of the duchy's extensive patrimonial estates, the governance of the lordship was transferred to Alba de Tormes, the administrative heart of the Ducal House. From that point onward, the fortress was left uninhabited. , a general in Napoleon’s army, was responsible for asserting control over the provinces of Ávila, Segovia, Soria, and Guadalajara. He stationed a detachment at the Castle of Dávila. He was also the father of
Victor Hugo, the celebrated author of
Les Misérables. The castle suffered its greatest damage between 1809 and 1813, during the
Peninsular War, when it housed a detachment of French troops known as the
Royal Extranjero, part of the division commanded by the Napoleonic general
Léopold Joseph Sigisbert Hugo, father of the renowned writer
Victor Hugo. Around that time, the liberal
Cortes of Cádiz abolished all forms of lordship in Spain. Nevertheless, the Ducal House of Alba retained ownership of numerous rural estates in the town, which it gradually sold off, along with the castle and the feudal right of
pontazgo. During this period, the
Hermitage of the Order—where the annual
romería is held—was also severely damaged by
Napoleonic troops. == Site of Cultural Interest ==