Spain is a land with a long, layered history where different civilizations laid down roots across the centuries. The arrival and influence of groups like the Celts, Iberians, Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, and Christians created the country’s oldest origins and towns. These early presences shaped not just settlements but the very fabric of today’s Spanish identity.
Some of the most striking destinations are towns that trace their age to ancient times, and through their streets and surrounding landscapes, visitors can glimpse the long arc of Spain’s past and its roots.
Coria, Caceres
This municipality sits north of Cáceres and dates back to the 3rd century BCE. Its streets tell a story of settlement by multiple civilizations, including Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs, Jews, and Christians, each leaving a mark on the town’s fabric.
Most monuments in its historic center stem from the Middle Ages, when the town changed hands between Muslims and Christians. Standout structures include the Citadel from the 15th century, emblematic of noble power, and the Palace of the Dukes of Alba from the same period. Along the lanes, one can discover a Gothic-plateresque jewel in the Cathedral of Santa María de la Asunción, home to a legendary relic known as the Sacred Tablecloth of the Last Supper.
This deep-seated history makes Coria one of Spain’s oldest population centers and it hosts the oldest Diocese in the province of Extremadura. The core evolved from royal land to county lordship and later became the seat of the Marquisate of Alba in 1472.
Torrejoncillo, Caceres
Located about 13 kilometers south of Coria, Torrejoncillo is a municipality with ancient roots. In 1933, archaeologists uncovered seven small bronze figures from the 3rd century BCE on one property. Their origins point to the Vettones, suggesting these figures were votive offerings to Atacina, a goddess connected with night, fertility, and rebirth, worshiped by the Iberians, Lusitanians, Carpetans, and Romans. Celtiberians also left traces of their cult in this region.
The name Torrejoncillo itself comes from the Arab period, referencing settlements in the Jamarga valley organized around huts or goatherders’ towers known as torreoncillo.
Calahorra, Rioja
In the La Rioja region lies this town whose origins reach back to 187 BCE. It played a crucial role during the Roman era, acting as a crossroads that connected pre-Roman settlements. Over the centuries it also served as a Celtiberian enclave, an episcopal center since the early Christian era, and a frontier town in the Middle Ages.
Thanks to the diverse civilizations that settled within its walls, Calahorra today preserves a rich artistic, architectural, and cultural heritage that reflects many chapters in Spain’s history.
Olite, Navarre
Olite sits in the heart of Navarre and boasts origins dating to Roman times, specifically the 1st century BCE. A fortified enclosure known as the Cerco de Inside preserved the old walls. In 1147, the city expanded southward, breaching these defenses, and today only a few towers and walls remain from the Roman section, along with the Torre del Spire, four gates, and medieval street names that hint at past communities.
Walking through Olite’s lanes reveals a medieval atmosphere, with street names that reference significant settlements or civilizations that once occupied the area. Examples include Rúa de la Judería, a nod to the Jewish quarter, and Rúa de la Tafurería, tied to the bustling medieval trades of the town. The Royal Palace, dating from the period when Navarre’s kings held sway, was proclaimed a national monument in 1925.
Brañosera, Palencia
Situated near the border between Castilla y León and Cantabria, Brañosera is celebrated as one of Spain’s oldest municipalities. Its roots trace back to Cantabrian communities around 450 BCE, with later Roman influences reshaping religion and culture after the Cantabrian Wars. The town’s historic status was formally recognized when it received the country’s first city charter, issued by Count Munio Núñez during the reign of Alfonso II el Casto in October 824.
Throughout its history, Brañosera stood as an important mining center, and in the mid-20th century it emerged as a significant industrial mining zone within Spain, marking another chapter in its enduring legacy.
Notes and annotations on these towns help visitors understand how regional power, trade routes, and cultural exchanges wove together to form modern Spain. Each site offers a tangible link to eras long past, inviting curious travelers to trace the footsteps of ancient peoples across the peninsula.
These towns collectively illustrate Spain’s early ethnolinguistic mosaic, where successive civilizations created a durable, layered heritage that continues to attract historians and travelers alike.