Benavente

Campanas las de Toledo,
Catedral la de León,
Reloj el de Benavente,
y Rollo el de Villalón.

Popular Spanish saying.

Benavente is a city in Castile and León, Spain (~20k inhabitants) in the province of Zamora. It lies on the Vía de la Plata as well as on the road from Madrid to los Tornos.

Originally known as Malgrat, its main sights are:

1. Santa María de Azogue, s. XII. It used to feature a famous clock, which did not survive various incidents and is now replaced by one so normal-looking, you would probably not even notice it.
2. San Juan del Mercado, contemporary to the above, with interesting frescos and Canecillos.
3. La Torre del Caracol, the only remain of a 16th-century castle of which we have read it was destroyed by the British and French alike (it's still possible it was by both). It is now a parador in which you can have a coffee.
4. Hospital de la Piedad, . We could not visit the chapel, which hosts "La Muerte de San José", una de las pocas esculturas que representan esa escena en el mundo.

Visits

On 23 July (2014), on our trip to Asturias (July 2014).

• 
  Sculptures on the door of San Juan del Mercado.
• 
  Possibly a scene of Gethsemane.
• 
  Inside, this XVI century fresco you would not be surprised to find in Guernica.
• 
  The current version of the Benavente clock (reloj) on Santa María de Azogue.
• 
  It features a nice set of canocillos.
• 
  The facade of the Hospital de la Piedad.
• 
  The patio with cigüeñas landing and taking off.
• 
  The tower of the caracol, the remaining vestige of a now gone castle.
• 
  Currently a parador, in which you can enjoy a coffee.