Dear Friends,
I am taking the opportunity provided by this Town Hall web page to give a warm welcome to everyone who comes into our portal: the aim of the portal is give all those enquiring eyes the chance to choose whatever is of greatest interest to them from a wide range of contents.
Our goal is to do our very best in the interests of our town, and to do this we will put the key points of our motto into practice: enthusiasm, determination, constant improvement, and, above all, team work.
We are proud to be Saint Teresa's neighbours, here in our town, where her image and reminders of her live on, and can be sensed in every last corner. All this is a great attraction for the tourist, which is both a source of great satisfaction for us, and something which we enjoy celebrating with those tourists, in other words, with you.
I'd like to express my gratitude for the confidence you have placed in this Town Council and to invite whoever wishes to do so to get to know this little corner of the world which is, at the same, our personal universe.
With very best wishes
FERNANDO MARTÍN FERNÁNDEZ
HISTORY AND HERITAGE OF GOTARRENDURA
SITUATION AND BACKGROUND
The municipality of Gotarrendura belongs to the Moraña district, located in the northern part of the province of Avila. It is 22 kilometres outside the capital city of Avila and also from the town of Arévalo (by the AV-804 road). It is around a 100 kilometres from the cities of Salamanca, Madrid and Valladolid in neighbouring provinces, and 60 kilometres from Segovia.
Its origins date back to the repopulation of the Avila countryside, which was the consequence of the depopulation suffered by the “Burnt Earth” policy practised during the period of Reconquest against the occupying Arab peoples.
The name Gotarrendura comes from Gutierre Endura: Gutierre from "Gutierre Yñigo", who was a knight from Ávila; Endura from the Basque word meaning elder tree (Gil Torres 1250, 10).
SAINT TERESA OF JESUS
Gotarrendura is closely linked to the figure of Saint Teresa of Jesús, because of the demonstrated fact that her mother, Doña Beatriz de Ahumada, owned a great deal of property here, and that it was here where she married Don Alonso Sánchez de Cepeda, a member of the gentry from the city of Avila, and that she died in 1528.
This estate became an important place in the life of the Cepeda y Ahumada family, which spent long periods in the town of Gotarrendura, where the climate, slightly less harsh than in the city, offered a refuge during the cruel winter months. Given this practice, we can infer that on 28 th March 1515, the birthdate of the “Santa”, her mother, doña Beatriz de Ahumada, would have been lodged at their property in Gotarrendura and not in their main house in Ávila.
Another fact which would seem to lend kudos to the possible birth of Saint Teresa in Gotarrendura is that as a village close to Avila, Gotarrendura is identified to all purposes as being part of the city, as in the Libro de Bautizos (the Baptism Register) which corresponds to the years 1610 to 1618, which states the following " this is under the ecclesiastical and civil jurisdiction of the city of Avila ".
Finally, in the Libro Primero de Bautizos (First Baptism Register) of Goterrendura where all baptisms are recorded, the 34 first pages are missing, those which correspond to the dates of the Santa's birth and baptism, and even the Libro Pequeño , (the Short Book) is missing; this is a volume which the Libro Primero refers to for further information. This fact lends strength to the hypothesis of the birth of Saint Teresa in Gotarrendura.
THE DOVECOTE
The property known as the PALACE MEADOW belonged to Doña Beatriz de Ahumada and later passed into the care of her daughter Teresa. In 1549, there were two buildings: “ Houses with a field, with two dwellings within and a field with a dovecote in it”. 
There is no trace of the Ahumada house now, but tradition has it that the pillars of the entrance portico of the church and the materials used in building the church are stones which came from that house.
Today the Dovecote survives in good repair; Saint Teresa inherited this building through the laws of inheritance and she speaks of it in some letters:
“ Señor Alonso Vinegrilla. Please be so kind as to feed and look after the dovecote in these cold months, now that there are plenty of doves in it; and in this way we will see something from it this year. Please ask señor Martín de Guzmán for the carob seeds and everything else you need; he will be delighted to give them to you. Dated, the tenth of January, in the year MDXLVI. Yours faithfully, Teresa de Ahumada”.
(Royal Academy of History Bulletin)
It is a building without a ground floor, of medium height, built in adobe rendered with mortar and large stonework at the corners. The roof is gabled. The internal partition walls are made of adobe (thicker than those of other dovecotes) with semicircular nesting niches finished in wood at the bottom to protect them from the continuous wear and tear of the doves.
We must not forget that Saint Teresa used to call her new convents or foundations ”Little Dovecotes” , by association of ideas, remembering the dovecote of her childhood house.
OTHER HISTORICAL DATA
- Isabella the Catholic Funeral Cortege Route. This municipality lay on the route of Isabella the Catholic's Funeral Cortege. Before her death in Medina del Campo, on November 26 th 1504, this queen stated in her will her desire to be buried in Granada. Therefore the Funeral Cortege left Medina for Granada, and made halts in places such as Arévalo, Gotarrendura , Ávila, and so on.
- The Pilgrim Road to Santiago : Gotarrendura forms part of the South East Route of the Pilgrim Road to Santiago. The historic documentation is an antique travel guide published in 1546 by the royal “cartero” Pedro Juan Villuga.
The Road to Santiago can begin at any point on the Spanish mainland, and you don't have to go to Santiago along the well-known French Pilgrim Road from Roncesvalles alone. ( www.amigosdelcaminoenavila.org)
ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM
This museum recovers the historical memory of Gotarrendura. It is an old farmhouse with a kitchen, a larder, alcove beds, animal pens, a wine cellar… The household goods and implements used by our grandparents' generation have been 
rescued from oblivion.
The museum also houses an exhibition of painting by local artist of international repute, Eugenio López Berrón.
( www.museolopezberronarte.org )
OTHER LOCAL HERITAGE
Parish Church of St. Michael Archangel .- built in the seventeenth century, its imposing presbytery is of particular note, in great harmony with the belfry, which is finished in brick. Inside, the carved wood ceiling rests on pillars and semicircular arches which separate the naves. The main altarpiece is in Churrigueresque (“Ultra Baroque”) style.
The Hermitage of Our Lady of the Snows stands opposite the church. It is worth noting that a major fire occurred in 1929, burning down a total of 31 houses close to the Hermitage, but the Hermitage survived unharmed.
Wine presses , (beam and screw presses). There are a number of these to be seen in the town, which were used to press the grape for wine.
Family wine cellars (“Bodegas”) .- Used to store a limited quantity of wine for annual consumption. They are normally below the living quarters, dug out of the ground, and the large earthenware wine jars lie flat. A large number of houses have a “bodega”.
Shoeing stock.- These are structures comprising four stone pillars linked together with wooden joists. Their main function was for restraining horses or mules while they were being shod, in order to avoid being kicked.
Bread Ovens. - Built in adobe. The structures have two openings, one below for fuel and one above for the bread. You can still find many houses with an oven of this kind.
Forge .- Where most metallic utensils used to be made and repaired (sickles, hoes, ploughshares, etc.); these utensils formed part of the everyday life of the town. Two forges remain, one of which is private and still has the same interior: the bellows, the oven and the tools. The other public forge is undergoing restoration although all the instruments have been saved.
CULTURE
XIII INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION
“PALOMAR TERESIANO DE GOTARRENDURA”
The Excmo. Ayuntamiento de Gotarrendura (Gotarrendura Town Council, Avila) in collaboration with the Excma. Diputación Provincial de Ávila (Avila Provincial Council), Caja de Ahorros de Ávila (Avila Savings Bank), Asociación Cultural Santa Teresa (St. Theresa Cultural Association) and Amigos del Palomar Teresiano de Gotarrendura (Friends of the Theresian Dovecote) announces the “PALOMAR TERESIANO DE GOTARRENDURA” poetry prize, which will be organized according to these rules:
1. All poets who so wish may take part in this competition with original and unpublished poems, which must be in Castilian (Spanish) and be related to the Dovecote of Saint Theresa at Gotarrendura. Winners of the 5 previous editions of the competition are excluded from the competition.
2. The poems will be of between 14 and 100 lines, and must be about the Theresian subject in its widest sense.
3. The originals will be presented in quintuplicate, completely legible and double spaced. They will be entered under a pseudonym, and full personal details will be placed in a sealed envelope identified on the outside with the pseudonym.
4. The deadline for works will be 18th September of the current year, and they must be sent to EXCMO. AYUNTAMIENTO DE GOTARRENDURA, 05163-GOTARRENDURA (AVILA) tel: (+34) 920 269038 or (+34) 615658068 (Mondays to Saturdays, from 10am to 2pm); the envelope will bear the name of the prize.
5. Prizes.There will be one cash prize only, worth 2000 € ( two thousand euros) for the poem considered by the jury to be the best.
6.The jury´s decision will be taken on October 8th, and prize giving will be on 19 th October two (sunday) in Gotarrendura; prize winners must attend the prize giving.
7. In considering the originals, the jury may decide to give as many honourable mentions as it sees fit.
8. The organizers of the competition may publish prize winning entries in whatever form it deems fit.
9. No correspondece will be entered into with competitors, nor will non-winnig entries be returned. Instead, these entries will be destroyed once the present competition has been completed. Competitors are recommended to keep a copy of the originals sent to the competition.
10. The jury awarding the prize will be made up of persons from the cultural world.
11. Handing over of originals indicates acceptance of the rules of the competition; the decision of the jury cannot be appealed against.
Gotarrendura, 29th May, 2008
The Mayor, President of the Town Hall
INTERNATIONAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION
IXth “LA MORAÑA”
The Ayuntamiento de Gotarrendura (Gotarrendura Town Council, Avila) in collaboration with the Excma. Diputación Provincial (Avila Provincial Council) calls the IXth “LA MORAÑA” Prose Competition, which will be according to these rules:
1. All writers who so wish may take part in this competition with original and unpublished poems, which must be in Castilian (Spanish), and the content must be related to the region of La Moraña: traditions, tourist and cultural routes, personalities or other aspects of the region. Winners of the 5 previous editions of the competition are excluded from the competition.
2. Works will be presented on DIN A4 sized paper and the author may choose any style. If the work is prepared on a computer or typewriter, the typeface will 12 point size, and it will be double spaced. Works may not exceed five pages, one side only.
3. . The originals will be presented in quintuplicate. They will be entered under the title of the work and full personal details (name and surname of the author, address and contact telephone number) will be placed in a sealed enveloped identified on the outside with the title.
4. The deadline for works will be 18th September of the current year, and they must be sent to EXCMO. AYUNTAMIENTO DE GOTARRENDURA, 05163-GOTARRENDURA (AVILA) tel: (+34) 920.269038 or +34 615658068 (Mondays to Saturdays, from 10am to 2pm); the envelope will bear the name of the prize.
5. Prizes. There will be one cash prize only, worth 1000 € (one thousand euros) for the work considered by the jury to be the best.
6. The jury's decision will be taken on October 8th, and prize giving will be on 19 th October (Sunday) in Gotarrendura; prize winners must attend the prize giving.
7. In considering the originals, the jury may decide to give as many honourable mentions as it sees fit.
8. The organizers of the competition may publish prize winning entries in whatever form it deems fit.
9. No correspondence will be entered into with competitors, nor will non-winning entries be returned. Instead, these entries will be destroyed once the present competition has been completed. Competitors are recommended to keep a copy of the originals sent to the competition.
10. The jury awarding the prize will be made up of persons from the cultural world.
11. Handing over of originals indicates acceptance of the rules of the competition; the decision of the jury cannot be appealed against.
Gotarrendura, 29th May, 2008
The Mayor, President of the Town Council
KATE O'BRIAN
GOTARRENDURA AND IRELAND CONNECTION
In November of 2007, members of political parties on Gotarrendura Corporation unanimously voted to name a street in the town after the Irish writer Kate O´Brien to mark her long association with Spain, Avila and interest and constant admiration of St.Teresa of Avila.
Her description of her was,"A genius of the large and immeasurable kind of which there had been very few."
In 1951, she wrote a portrait of Teresa of Avila and her description was,' the least pretentious, the most approachable and most tranquil of christian mystics' .It is a personal tribute to great woman, one of the very few who truly merit the name of genius.
