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Plasencia () is a city and municipality in Spain, located in the northern part of the province of Cáceres in the autonomous community of Extremadura. The municipality does not form part of any Mancomunidad with surrounding towns and geographically borders municipalities from six municipal associations: Valle del Jerte, La Vera, Monfragüe and its surroundings, Valle del Alagón, Ambroz Valley, and Trasierra - Tierras de Granadilla. Physically, the city is situated at the gateway to the Valle del Jerte, although administratively it does not belong to it, as the four major population centers in Extremadura (Badajoz, Cáceres, Mérida, and Plasencia) are not part of any comarca or municipal association.
The municipal territory of Plasencia covers an area of 217.94 km² and includes the city of Plasencia as well as the minor local entities of San Gil and Pradochano. The municipality has a population of 39,829 inhabitants, making it the second most populous in the province of Cáceres and the fourth in Extremadura. The city is the episcopal see of its own diocese and the capital of the judicial district no. 4 of the province. As the most populous city in northern Extremadura, it is home to various services of the General State Administration and the Government of Extremadura, serving both its residents and those of numerous neighboring municipalities.
It was founded as a city by King Alfonso VIII of Castile in 1186. Its establishment was driven by military strategy considerations during the Reconquista, as the city was located just a few kilometers from the Castilian borders with the Kingdom of León to the west and the Al-Andalus to the south. The border with León was marked in this area by the Vía de la Plata, an important Roman road now used as a hiking route. Until the 19th century, it was the capital of the Sexmo of Plasencia, a community of villages that covered a quarter of the current province of Cáceres. Despite not exceeding twenty thousand inhabitants until the 1960 census, significant events occurred in the city, such as the marriage of Joanna la Beltraneja during the Castilian War of Succession and the initiative to purchase a vote in the Cortes of Castile, which led to the creation of the Province of Extremadura in 1653.
The municipality's economy is primarily based on the service sector, with over a thousand commercial establishments in the city. At the beginning of the 20th century, the municipality had its own savings bank, which later became the foundation of Caja de Extremadura (subsequently Liberbank and currently Unicaja). Tourism is significant, as its historic center is declared a cultural heritage site and the city has two festivals declared of tourist interest: Martes Mayor and Holy Week. The city has a university center affiliated with the University of Extremadura, offering four undergraduate degrees and one master's degree.
Another very similar name is Placencia, a municipality in Belize named by Spanish explorers and which shares its name with the Gipuzkoa municipality of Placencia de las Armas. Placencia and Plasencia can be in some Spanish dialects due to seseo and ceceo.
In Canada, there is a municipality called Placentia, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, whose name derives directly from the city on the Jerte River. In California, there is also another Placentia. In Italy, there is also a municipality called Piacenza, the homonymous capital belonging to the Emilia-Romagna region, also referred to as Plasencia in Spanish.
The flag, which features the coat of arms in its center, is described as follows:
Several towns in the former Sexmo of Plasencia have incorporated Plasencia's coat of arms into theirs, including Navaconcejo.
The municipal territory of Plasencia borders the following municipalities:
| Northwest: Valdeobispo | North: Oliva de Plasencia and Cabezabellosa | Northeast: Casas del Castañar and Gargüera |
| West: Carcaboso, Aldehuela de Jerte, and Galisteo | East: Malpartida de Plasencia | |
| Southwest: Riolobos and Cañaveral | South: Malpartida de Plasencia | Southeast: Malpartida de Plasencia |
According to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification, Plasencia has a subtropical climate with dry, hot summers, classified as Csa (Mediterranean climate).
The climate in this area, despite its relative proximity to the microclimate of the Valle del Jerte and the nearby Sierra de Gredos, is similar to that found in the Extremaduran dehesa, given the similar altitude above sea level. However, due to the longitudinal orography of the Sierra de Gredos, precipitation is higher than in the rest of the central plateau, though in absolute terms, it is more similar to the southern plateau than to mountainous regions such as the Ambroz Valley or Jerte Valley. Significant differences in precipitation can occur within the same weather event between the city and municipalities just 20 kilometers to the north. Rainfall ranges between 800 and 1000 mm annually, scarce during the summer but slightly higher than in the Extremaduran capitals.
The Olea europaea is mainly found on the slopes of the Sierra de Santa Bárbara, arranged in terraces, but this area is now heavily urbanized. The Quercus ilex are found in dehesas, while the Quercus suber are located in the northern part of the municipality. Cork oak groves cover approximately 1200 Hectare and also form dehesas like the holm oak groves. In the Valcorchero dehesa, there are mixed areas of holm and cork oaks. Pastures are used for livestock exploitation and often correspond to abandoned croplands. The shrubland in the area mainly consists of Retama with pastures, also used for seasonal livestock exploitation.
Riparian vegetation primarily consists of small plantations of Populus. Irrigated lands are concentrated mainly along the banks of the Jerte River downstream of the city, although there are also some family near the urban center.
The most diverse group is that of birds. Occasionally, large birds of prey such as booted eagles or Falco peregrinus, which live in the Monfragüe National Park and the foothills of the Sierra de Gredos, fly to Plasencia in search of food. The most common bird species are such as the common chaffinch, blue tit, Serinus serinus, Cyanopica cooki, mistle thrush, Lullula arborea, short-toed treecreeper, Lanius senator, Sturnus unicolor, Parus major, European goldfinch, common linnet, house sparrow, various species of Cuculidae, and, in winter, the Columba palumbus. Also present in the municipality are and quails.
Among the amphibians and reptiles in the area, notable species include various types of , the Montpellier snake, the Timon lepidus, several species of Podarcis, and the common gecko. In the Jerte River and its banks, there are several fish species such as Barbus barbus, Leuciscus idus, calandino, Tinca tinca, and Cobitis paludica.
Cenozoic and Quaternary sediments are also found, mainly linked to the fluvial system. Tertiary deposits are located in the Coria basin and the Messejana-Plasencia fault-dike system. Quaternary sediments are more prominent in the various alluvial platforms related to the Jerte River. The most common materials are of quartz, , and in a sandy-clayey matrix. Granitic rocks from the Béjar-Plasencia area occupy the northern part of the territory. There are no indications of mineral exploitation in the municipality. There were quarries for extracting various materials, including industrial ceramics, from the Tertiary deposits. However, all of these quarries have been abandoned.
In a document issued in Burgos in 1181 under the reign of Alfonso VIII of Castile, it was established—in contradiction with the Treaty of Medina and the Plata border between the kingdoms of León and Castile—that much of the territory in the north of the current province of Cáceres and the northwest of the province of Toledo belonged to the jurisdiction of the Ávila council. This situation changed in 1186 with the establishment of the city of Plasencia, founded that same year by Alfonso VIII; the monarch set the territorial boundaries of the new council in 1189. The motto of the newly founded city was Ut placeat Deo et Hominibus, meaning "to please God and men" in Latin. In 1189, Pope Clement III created the Diocese of Plasencia with its seat in the city. The city's early years were challenging due to its location in a border area near territories controlled by Muslims. In 1196, it was taken by the Almohads, following the Castilian defeat in the Battle of Alarcos (1195), but Alfonso VIII and the Kingdom of Castile recovered it that same year on August 15. Following this reconquest, the decision was made to build the city's walls.
At the end of the 13th century, the king granted the Fuero of Plasencia, which placed great importance on coexistence among Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. This fostered the formation of a significant Jewish community, the largest in Extremadura, with considerable economic influence.
One of the earliest written references to a bullfight is found in the Cantigas de Santa María by Alfonso X the Wise, in the so-called "Toro de Plasencia" cantiga, which recounts an event at a bullfight held in the city's square, where, thanks to the miraculous intervention of the Virgin, a man was saved from being killed by one of the bulls being fought.
The city then had the right to vote in the Cortes of Castile, evidenced by the sending of two representatives to the courts held in Madrid in 1391. The 15th century was a pivotal period in the city's history, during which feudal practices of the Middle Ages led to the end of its royal status and the establishment of a lordship jurisdiction. In 1442, King John II of Castile granted the city to the Estúñiga or Zúñiga family, conferring the title of Count of Plasencia to Pedro de Zúñiga. Upon becoming a lordship, Plasencia lost its voting rights in the Cortes. At the request of its bishop, Cardinal Juan de Carvajal, humanities studies were established in the city in 1446. These were the first university-level general studies in what is now Extremadura.
In the second half of the 15th century, Plasencia played a role in the Castilian succession conflict. King Henry IV of Castile was deposed in the city on April 27, 1465, as sovereign of Castile. Later, the Count of Plasencia took an active part in the Farce of Ávila, seizing the sword, a symbol of justice, from the wooden statue representing the Castilian king and proclaiming Infante Alfonso as king. Subsequently, King Henry IV's daughter, Joanna la Beltraneja, married Alfonso V of Portugal on May 29, 1475, in the House of the Rings in Plasencia, where they were proclaimed kings of Castile and Portugal.
In June 1488, the duke died and was succeeded by his grandson Álvaro de Zúñiga y Pérez de Guzmán. The Plasencian nobility seized the opportunity to rise in arms against the Zúñiga family to regain the power they previously held over the city and the rents from the lands dependent on it. The rebels were supported by the Catholic Monarchs, who revoked the donation made by John II, arguing it was excessive and against their will. The revolt succeeded, and the royal status was restored, ratified on October 20, 1488, at the cathedral's gates in the presence of Ferdinand the Catholic, who swore to always defend the city's charters and freedom.
Between 1520 and 1522, during the Revolt of the Comuneros, Plasencia sided with the comuneros, managing to establish a community in Plasencia, but it was weakened by the proximity of royalist strongholds such as Ciudad Rodrigo and Cáceres.
Between 1528 and 1531, the composer Cristóbal de Morales resided in Plasencia, where he served as choirmaster.
Plasencia also had some significance during the Spanish conquest of the Americas. In 1539, an expedition funded by Bishop Gutierre de Vargas Carvajal went to the Strait of Magellan. One of the expedition's ships, led by Alonso de Camargo, managed to cross the strait.
In 1573, the Plasencian bishop Pedro Ponce de León donated part of his library to the El Escorial Monastery, including the Glosas Emilianenses from the Monasteries of San Millán de la Cogolla. In 1665, another bishop, Diego de Arce y Reinoso, had a library of 3,880 works in 10,000 volumes at the time of his death. When the first 18 provinces of Castile were established in 1502, they were defined based on the cities with voting rights in the Cortes. No city in present-day Extremadura had such a vote, so most of the region belonged to the Province of Salamanca. For this reason, in 1653, Plasencia decided to purchase the vote in the Cortes it had previously held, a purchase made jointly with Alcántara, Badajoz, Cáceres, Mérida, and Trujillo. This marked the creation of the former Province of Extremadura, which comprised the Trujillo district and the León territory of the Order of Santiago (divided into two districts, Mérida and Llerena, each with several ), to which the lands of Coria and Granadilla were added.
Upon the fall of the Old Regime, the city became a municipality in the region of Extremadura. When Extremadura was divided into the current province of Cáceres and province of Badajoz in 1822, Plasencia competed with Cáceres for the capital of the former, arguing that it had a larger population on the right bank of the Tagus River and was an episcopal see. Other criteria prevailed, and Cáceres was chosen as the provincial capital. Since 1834, it has been the head of the judicial district of Plasencia. During the First Spanish Republic, the Canton of Plasencia was established in the city during the Cantonal Rebellion, to reclaim its previously rejected status as the provincial capital.
The Restoration was an important period for Plasencia, as significant reforms impacted the municipality's economy and society. For the first time, the city had a drinking water network and Street light, and the sewage system was improved. The city's economy, previously based almost exclusively on agriculture and trade, industrialized following the creation of the city's railway station, around which an industrial district was built. In 1917, the painter Joaquín Sorolla immortalized the city in one of his paintings, The Market, depicting the view from one of the banks of the Jerte River, with the episcopal palace, the cathedral, the Trujillo Bridge, and women dressed in the Montehermoso traditional costume. The work is part of a series of fourteen large canvases titled Vision of Spain, commissioned by the American magnate Archer Milton Huntington to decorate the library of the Hispanic Society, in New York, an institution he founded.
During the Spanish Civil War, Plasencia was not a contested area, as the coup of 1936 succeeded immediately in the city. On July 19, Lieutenant Colonel José Puente, head of the Plasencia Machine Gun Battalion, took control of the city with little resistance. Republican prisoners were later used in Penal labour to build the Los Pinos Park.
The second half of the 20th century was a period of remarkable development for Plasencia. Demographically, while the province of Cáceres lost a quarter of its population between 1950 and 2001, Plasencia doubled its legal population during the same period, growing from 17,507 inhabitants to 36,690. Over those fifty years, numerous public works were constructed, including the Virgen del Puerto Hospital, the Plasencia Reservoir, the municipal sports city, and the former road to Navalmoral. Additionally, university schools of nursing and business studies were established, which by the end of the century merged into the current Plasencia Campus.
| Plasencia (city) | 38,150 | 39,241 | 39,746 | 40,975 | 40,480 | 39,975 | 39,247 |
| Pradochano | 163 | 153 | 148 | 174 | 164 | 144 | 149 |
| San Gil | 182 | 202 | 211 | 243 | 248 | 194 | 261 |
| + Demographic evolution of the city in the Old Regime |
| 1,743 families |
| 1,070 families |
| 4,467 inhabitants |
| 1,100 families |
| 4,500 inhabitants |
The current Plasencia City Council has its town hall in the municipal palace located on Calle del Rey. During the Old Regime, this building served as the council's seat, with a jail adjacent to it. The original building was constructed between 1517 and 1523 because the previous council house was too small. The municipal palace was modified in the 17th century and rebuilt in the 18th century.
In the term following the 2015 elections, the People's Party governs the municipality with an absolute majority. The mayor is Fernando Pizarro, and the council departments are distributed as follows:
| + List of mayors since the democratic elections of 1979 | ||
| 1979-1983 | José Luis Mariño | Union of the Democratic Centre |
| 1983-1987 | José Luis Mariño | Unión de Placentinos Independientes (UPI) |
| 1987-1989 | José Luis Mariño | Democratic and Social Centre |
| 1989-1995 | Cándido Cabrera | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party |
| 1995-2003 | José Luis Díaz Sánchez | People's Party |
| 2003-2011 | Elía María Blanco Barbero | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party |
| 2011–present | Fernando Pizarro García-Polo | People's Party |
The other two neighborhoods, San Gil and Pradochano, are population centers that are separate from the municipal capital and have the status of a minor local entity.
Should the body be established, the city council has offered the Dean's House, a medieval building currently housing the courts until the completion of the new courthouse, as its headquarters.
Plasencia is also a member of the Spanish Network of Cities for the Climate, which focuses on promoting and managing policies aimed at sustainable development and combating climate change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and comply with the Kyoto Protocol.
In the monumental sphere, Plasencia is a member of Cathedral Cities, an association of cities with cathedrals, established in Plasencia in 2006. Also in 2006, the Iberian Forum of Walled Cities was established in Plasencia, bringing together Spain and Portugal localities to attract tourism to their walled enclosures and seek European funds for the restoration of their historical-artistic heritage, including the neighboring municipality of Galisteo.
Finally, Plasencia has been a full member of the Red de Juderías de España since February 2008, which aims to preserve the urban, architectural, historical, artistic, and cultural heritage of the Sephardic Jews legacy in Spain and promote the cities within the association. Within the province, Cáceres and Hervás are also members of this network.
Regarding the secondary sector, Plasencia has an industrial estate. In 2013, according to the economic yearbook of La Caixa, the municipality had 153 industry companies and 274 construction companies.
Within both sectors, the municipality is part of the production and processing area for five food products with designation of origin or protected geographical indication: Carne de Ávila, Cordero de Extremadura, Ternera de Extremadura, Jamón de Huelva, and Pimentón de la Vera.
In 2013, Plasencia had 38 deposit institutions, 296 bars and restaurants, 189 wholesale businesses, 864 retail businesses, and one shopping center. Regarding accommodation services, the municipality has various establishments, including rural houses, hostels, and hotels.
Though not exclusively, commerce is predominantly concentrated in the streets of the old town leading to the Plaza Mayor, particularly on Calle del Rey and Calle del Sol. The latter is the most expensive commercial area in Extremadura. Another notable commercial point, used only for temporary occasions, is the El Berrocal fairground.
Throughout most of the 20th century, Plasencia was home to its own savings bank, the Plasencia Savings Bank. Founded in 1911 by the Catholic social center of the City of Plasencia, promoted by the Diocese of Plasencia, it merged in 1990 with the Cáceres Savings Bank to form Caja de Extremadura (now Liberbank).
Sanitation is carried out through a network of concrete pipes used for both urban and industrial wastewater. Urban wastewater does not require pumping and is transported by gravity alone, except in some areas that need discharge chambers. The municipality has a wastewater treatment plant next to the N-630 road, which receives wastewater from both Plasencia and the Valle del Jerte.
Regarding fuel supply, the city has five , three operated by Repsol, one by Cepsa, and one by Carrefour. For the transport of natural gas, a primary gas pipeline connecting the compression stations of Almendralejo and Coreses passes through the city.
Additionally, the city has six public secondary education institutes: Gabriel y Galán, Valle del Jerte, Virgen del Puerto, Parque de Monfragüe, Pérez Comendador, and Sierra de Santa Bárbara. These institutes serve students from neighboring municipalities without secondary schools or where education only extends to compulsory secondary education, primarily from Aldehuela de Jerte, Barrado, Cabezabellosa, Cabrero, Casas del Castañar, Carcaboso, El Torno, Holguera, Malpartida de Plasencia, Oliva de Plasencia, Riolobos, Valdeobispo, and Villar de Plasencia.
The municipality also has five state-assisted private schools: La Salle-Guadalupe, Madre Matilde, San Calixto, San José, and Santísima Trinidad. Additionally, the city is home to the public special education center Ponce de León and a center for adult continuing education.
In terms of language education, Plasencia has an Official Language School at Plaza de Santa Ana, offering classes in German language, French language, English language, Italian language, and Portuguese, with English available through distance learning. Regarding religious studies, the Diocese of Plasencia maintains major and minor seminaries in the city, with a seminary present since the 17th century. Lastly, Plasencia has a folk high school.
Urban solid waste is collected every night. Deposits are accepted from 9 p.m. to midnight, with collection occurring after midnight. Selective collection of paper, cardboard, and lightweight packaging also occurs, alternating between neighborhoods throughout the city. Large items, such as appliances and furniture, are collected door-to-door every Wednesday. All urban solid waste from the city is processed at a treatment plant in Mirabel.
Plasencia is home to three of the area's healthcare zones (with a fourth under construction): Plasencia I-Luis de Toro, Plasencia II-San Miguel, and Plasencia III-La Data. The first serves the municipalities of Gargüera and Tejeda de Tiétar; the second serves Malpartida de Plasencia, the Plasencia minor local entities of San Gil and Pradochano, and the six easternmost municipalities of the Vegas del Alagón; the third serves Cabezabellosa, Jarilla, Oliva de Plasencia, and Villar de Plasencia. The other eleven healthcare zones correspond to health centers in Ahigal, Aldeanueva del Camino, Cabezuela del Valle, Casas del Castañar, Hervás, Jaraíz de la Vera, Mohedas de Granadilla, Montehermoso, Nuñomoral, Pinofranqueado, and Serradilla.
In terms of private healthcare, in 2010, Plasencia had one general hospital, eight medical consultation centers, twelve consultations by other health professionals, twenty-two dental clinics, two recognition centers, one hemodialysis center, three mobile healthcare centers, five centers providing outpatient care, thirteen opticians, two orthopedics, one hearing aid center, nineteen multipurpose centers, and three diagnostic centers.
Regarding non-police security, the city has firefighters and civil protection. An industrial estate is home to a fire station managed by the Provincial Service for Fire Prevention and Extinction of the Provincial Council of Cáceres. The municipal civil protection board has a permanent service point on Avenida Virgen del Puerto.
| North: Villar de Plasencia, Béjar, Salamanca, Zamora, León, and Gijón; South: Cañaveral, Cáceres, Mérida, Almendralejo, Zafra, and Seville. |
| East: Malpartida de Plasencia, Casatejada, and Navalmoral de la Mata; West: Galisteo, Coria, Moraleja, and Portugal. |
| Service road for the A-66. |
| Northeast: Valle del Jerte and Ávila Province. |
| Service road for the EX-A1. |
| East: La Vera and Tiétar Valley. |
| Southeast: Monfragüe, Trujillo, and Zorita. |
| Interurban access between the EX-A1 and the intersection of the N-110 with the EX-203. |
| West: Carcaboso, Montehermoso, and Pozuelo de Zarzón. |
| Southeast: Malpartida de Plasencia. |
A high-speed rail line connecting Plasencia with Badajoz is under construction, with a station planned for the city, expected to be completed in 2020.
Within the Province of Cáceres, Mirat operates several lines connecting Plasencia with various municipalities in the northern half of the province and even with Madrid, passing through Alcorcón and Móstoles. CEVESA connects Plasencia with Cáceres, Ávila, and Madrid via the Valle del Jerte. Another company, ALSA, provides long-distance services to major cities in Andalusia, Castile and León, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country.
| 32 |
| 29 |
| 38 |
San Gil and Pradochano are connected to the municipal capital by intercity bus lines operated by Mirat, with one round-trip line passing through each hamlet every weekday.
In October 2008, Plasencia, together with Trujillo, Monfragüe National Park, and the Dehesa, submitted a joint candidacy for designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That same month, the National Heritage Council included the candidacy on the tentative list of sites aspiring to this designation. However, in July 2009, the Heritage Council decided that Spain’s candidate for this designation would be the Serra de Tramuntana.
Within the diocese, the municipality has thirteen parish churches, eleven of which are in the city: Cristo Resucitado, El Salvador, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Nuestra Señora del Pilar, San Esteban, San José, San Miguel Arcángel, San Pedro, Santa Elena, Santa María de la Esperanza, and San Nicolás el Real. Additionally, there are the San Gil Church in the locality of the same name and the Nuestra Señora del Puerto Church in Pradochano.
In addition to the parish churches, there are churches not used as parishes, such as the Santa Ana Church, which serves as an auditorium, or the Santo Domingo Church, which houses a collection of Holy Week floats, and the San Martín Church.
Among the hermitages, notable ones include the La Salud Hermitage, Santa Elena Hermitage, and San Lázaro Hermitage. Additionally, there are remains of the Santo Tomé Hermitage, built on the site of a former mosque.
In addition to churches and hermitages, there are also , including Las Claras, Las Dominicas, Los Dominicos, San Vicente de Padres Dominicos, Las Capuchinas, Las Ildefonsas, Las Carmelitas, and Los Franciscanos. The Dominicos convent is notable for housing the Plasencia National Hotel.
Other religious buildings include the former Casa de la Salud, now used as the headquarters of the UNED, the apse of La Merced, and the Virgen del Puerto Sanctuary, which houses the statue of the patron saint of Plasencia.
Adjacent to the walls are notable structures such as the Torre Lucía, a tower where a bonfire was lit at night in the past, serving as a beacon for travelers approaching the city.
Other notable buildings include former educational centers. During the 15th century, several higher education institutions were founded in Plasencia, and in 1446, at the request of Bishop Juan de Carvajal, the first university studies in Extremadura were established in the city. Among the historic educational buildings are the aforementioned UNED headquarters, formerly a Jesuit convent, and the Plasencia Campus, which was previously an orphanage for girls and later a military barracks.
The city also retains remains of several that, although now used for other purposes, were historically significant in the development of the city’s healthcare system. These include medieval hospitals such as Sancti Spiritus, Santa María, San Marcos, Arcediano, and La Merced, as well as more modern buildings such as the Convalescent Hospital and San Roque.
Other civil structures include the Casa de la Alhóndiga, used as a youth information center, the former 17th century prison, and the former flour factory acquired by the city council in 2008.
The city has three monumental bridges crossing the Jerte River within its boundaries. One is the Puente Nuevo, designed by Rodrigo Alemán and built in the 16th century as an entrance to the city from La Vera and the Valle del Jerte, featuring a shield of the Catholic Monarchs and a niche with an image of Our Lady of Cabeza. The oldest bridge is the Puente de San Lázaro, located next to the hermitage of the same name and built in the 16th century in the Gothic style. The other historic bridge is the Puente de Trujillo, through which the Vía de la Plata passes.
Plasencia has several fountains, including the Fuente de la Cruz de Mayo and the Caño de San Pedro, which historically supplied water to the residents of the walled city and is decorated on the Cruz de Mayo day. Other fountains include the Fuente del Cabildo, located in front of the New Cathedral, and the Fuente de San Nicolás.
Another notable place is the Plaza de la Cruz Dorada, located near the Jerte River and framed by the apse of La Merced and the San Francisco convent. At its center stands a calvary that gives the square its name.
Plasencia has its own Jewish quarter. Additionally, in the area known as El Berrocal, there is the only Jewish cemetery in Extremadura, which began restoration in 2005.
Archaeological excavations have been conducted at various points in the city, such as Calle Matías Montero, where works under the Plan E uncovered remains of what may have been an ancient defensive or retaining wall, and Calle Esparrillas.
Another significant park is the Parque de la Isla, located on the island formed by the Jerte River splitting into two branches in its urban stretch. It is the largest park in the municipality, covering approximately 10 hectares. It is known for being a hunting ground for King Philip V of Spain when he lived in Plasencia, and it was one of his favorite places in the city where he spent much of his time. Also located along the Jerte River is the Parque del Cachón, the newest park in the city.
Among protected natural spaces, Valcorchero y Sierra del Gordo stands out, declared a protected landscape in 2005 by the Government of Extremadura following a 2004 request by 40 associations grouped under the Valcorchero: Protégelo coordinating body and 100 individuals.
In addition to these festivals, the patronal feasts are also significant. The patron saint of the city and its diocese is Saint Fulgentius of Cartagena, whose feast is celebrated on 16 January. The night before is known as the Night of Antruejos because it was customary to dress up, even though Carnival was still far away. The city council and various associations organize the festival, which offers wine, liqueurs, sweets, and migas, all accompanied by music from drummers. Alongside Saint Fulgentius, the Virgin of the Port is also a patroness of Plasencia, with her pilgrimage celebrated on the Sunday following Easter Sunday.
Other city festivals include the held on the second weekend of June, the San Juan neighborhood festival on 24 June, and the Ramo de la Virgen de la Salud, celebrated at the hermitage of the same name in September.
The city organizes several painting competitions. Notable among them is the Autumn Salon, organized by Caja de Extremadura annually from 1979 to 2009 and biennially thereafter. There is also an open-air painting competition.
The Caja de Extremadura International Sculpture Prize is held periodically, with winning works installed in various parts of the city, as one of the competition’s goals is to transform Plasencia into an open-air sculpture museum. The first edition in 2006 was won by the sculpture El entrenamiento by the Málaga sculptor Manuel Mediavilla. The second edition was won by El espacio recorrido by the Madrid sculptor Mar Soler.
In terms of photography, the Defensores del Repollo Photographic Competition, organized by the Alimoche collective, stands out. Finally, the Pedro de Trejo cultural association organizes an annual historical research competition.
Beyond music, the municipality hosts theater events such as the Extremadura Amateur Theater Week and film events such as the Fantastic and Horror Film Week. Another notable event is the Gumiparty computer convention, which, through various performances and activities, aims to promote and introduce contemporary Japanese culture.
The city is also home to several museums, including the Cathedral Museum in the Old Cathedral, the Pérez Enciso Ethnographic and Textile Museum in the former provincial hospital, the Duke of Arión Hunting Museum in the Marqués de Mirabel Palace, the Holy Week Floats Museum in the Santo Domingo Church, and the Berrocal Open-Air Sculpture Museum. Additionally, there are interpretation centers at Torre Lucía, the Las Tenerías mill, and Los Pinos Park.
In addition to these museums and interpretation centers, the municipality has exhibition halls such as those in the former San Francisco convent, the Santa Clara convent, and the Caja Duero hall, located next to the Puerta de Talavera.
As for libraries, the municipal library is located on Calle Trujillo. Additionally, the La Data and San Miguel neighborhoods have their own libraries, integrated into the Extremadura Library System since 1999.
From the ancient road, Plasencia has inherited the layout of the modern N-630 and A-66 roads within its municipal boundaries, while the Camino de Santiago has been diverted in its main route, in the opposite direction, to the neighboring towns of Galisteo and Carcaboso. Although the Camino de Santiago does not officially pass through Plasencia on that route, it does so on the Camino de Santiago de Levante: Alicante route, which originates in Alicante and joins the Plata route in Plasencia after passing through Albacete, Talavera de la Reina, and Navalmoral de la Mata.
In terms of basketball, Plasencia is represented by CB Plasencia Ambroz and Club Baloncesto Nardeiros Plasencia. In women's basketball, Hierros Díaz Plasencia competes in the LF2 league. In handball, the city has Club Balonmano Plasencia and Club Balonmano Mayorga, the latter named in honor of the renowned Abuelo Mayorga. For hunting and fishing, the city is home to the Plasencia Local Hunters' Society, the Virgen del Puerto Fishermen's Society, and the Plasencia Fishermen's Union. In aquatic sports, there are the Gredos Diving Sports Association, the Plasencia Swimming Club, the Plasencia 96 Sports Association, the Plasencia Canoeing School, the Plasencia Kayak-Polo Club, and the Gabriel y Galán Lake Nautical Club.
In cycling, the city is home to the Plasencia Cycling Sports Association, the Ex–Aequo Cycling Club, and the Integral Bike MTB Club. In motorsports, there are the Ruta de la Plata Motor Club Association, the Plebeyos Motorcyclists Club, and the Plasencia Motorcycle Club. Mountain sports are represented by the Valcorchero Sports Club – Mountain Section and the Plasencia Mountain Group.
Other sports clubs and associations in Plasencia include:
The city also has private facilities, such as those of the Plasencia City Sports and Social Club, located on the N-110.
In addition to these general facilities, various neighborhoods have other sports facilities:
Hoy and El Periódico Extremadura have correspondents in the city and each maintains a dedicated Plasencia page in their digital editions. Additionally, local online newspapers include Plasencia Digital and the website of Vía Plata TV.
The following radio stations broadcast from the city:
The city has its own satellite stations. However, Pradochano receives the signal from Hervás, and San Gil receives the signal from Gata. Plasencia is the seat of one of the eight local television demarcations in the province, with its direct scope extending to Malpartida de Plasencia. Local DTT licenses in this demarcation were awarded in April 2010 to Teleplasencia, Producción Canal 30 Cáceres, and Radio Vegas Altas.
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