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21-501: It is 50 km (31 mi) from Salamanca, the provincial capital. The region forms part of the Field of Peñaranda . Cantalapiedra, which lies within the province of Salamanca (which itself is bordered by the Zamora , Valladolid and Ávila provinces, within the 71.15 square kilometres of the region) has a diameter of around 50 kilometres (31 mi) (from the centre of the town). Governed by

42-589: A near-surface environment. It occurs as fine-grained masses in nodules , cavity fillings, and crusts. Variscite often contains white veins of the calcium aluminium phosphate mineral crandallite . It was first described in 1837 and named for the locality of Variscia , the historical name of the Vogtland , in Germany. At one time, variscite was called Utahlite . At times, materials which may be turquoise or may be variscite have been marketed as "variquoise". Appreciation of

63-556: A twelfth century Romanesque cathedral, many other churches, city walls, ancient houses and a castle. Pottery, textiles and wine are manufactured here. 70 km (43 mi) further north lies Benavente . It is famous for its Santa María church and the Castle of La Mota (now the Parador of Benavente). The Parador was the home of Ferdinand II of León who died here while returning from a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The Parador occupies

84-446: Is a hydrated aluminium phosphate mineral ( AlPO 4 ·2H 2 O ). It is a relatively rare phosphate mineral. It is sometimes confused with turquoise ; however, variscite is usually greener in color. The green color results from the presence of small amounts of trivalent chromium ( Cr ). Variscite is a secondary mineral formed by direct deposition from phosphate-bearing water which has reacted with aluminium-rich rocks in

105-521: Is a medieval village located on the border with Portugal and on the edge of the Arribes del Duero Natural Park . Arribes is the name for the gorges through which the Duero and other rivers in this region flow. The steep slopes have long been terraced for the production of grapes, olives and other fruit. Near the municipality of Villafáfila are lagoons that now form part of a nature reserve. They were formed by

126-729: Is also found in Germany , Australia , Poland , Spain , Italy ( Sardinia ), and Brazil . Variscite has been used in Europe to make personal ornaments, especially beads, since Neolithic times. Its use continued during the Bronze Age and in Roman times although it was not until the 19th century that it was determined that all variscite used in Europe came from three sites in Spain, Gavá (Barcelona), Palazuelo de las Cuevas (Zamora), and Encinasola (Huelva). Variscite

147-517: Is served by a railway line. Cantalapiedra is the antipode of Whitby, New Zealand . The village lies 797 metres (2,615 ft) above sea level and the post code is 37630. Zamora (province) Zamora ( Spanish pronunciation: [θaˈmoɾa] ) is a province of western Spain , in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León . It is bordered by the provinces of Ourense , León , Valladolid , and Salamanca , and by Portugal . The present-day province of Zamora

168-438: Is sometimes used as a semi-precious stone, and is popular for carvings and ornamental use due to its beautiful and intense green color, and is commonly used in silversmithing in place of turquoise. Variscite is more rare and less common than turquoise , but because it is not as commonly available as turquoise or as well known to the general public, raw variscite tends to be less expensive than turquoise. This article about

189-834: The 5th century AD, the Roman Emperor Honorius sent his brother-in-law, the Visigoths ' king, to defeat the Vandals. The Visigoths seized control of most of Hispania and made Toledo the capital, while the Suevi occupied the northwestern part of the Peninsula and made their capital city Bracara . By 585 the Suevi had been conquered by the Visigoths who then controlled the whole peninsula. Zamora has many fine historic churches and buildings. These include

210-658: The Caracol Tower, a sixteenth-century castle, part of the former walled enclosure of the town. The ancient town of Toro lies beside the Duero 39 km (24 mi) to the east of Zamora. Ferdinand III of Castile was crowned King of León in the town in 1230 and his wife Elisabeth of Swabia (Beatriz) died here. Notable features include the façade of the 'Palacio de las Leyes' and also the Santa María la Mayor collegiate church (known in Spanish as La Colegiata ). Legend has it that

231-530: The Duero. The capital of the province is Zamora which is situated in the south of the province on the banks of the Duero. The province has a total area of 10,620 square kilometres (4,100 sq mi). Its economy is largely agricultural and it has a tradition of sheep rearing, producing a large proportion of Spain's merino wool. The historical population is given in the following chart: A megalithic culture developed in this region of Spain, particularly around Aliste , and there are many remaining signs of

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252-777: The color ranges typically found in variscite have made it a popular gem in recent years. Variscite from Nevada typically contains black spiderwebbing in the matrix and is often confused with green turquoise. Most of the Nevada variscite recovered in recent decades has come from mines located in Lander County and Esmeralda County , specifically in the Candelaria Hills . Notable localities are Lucin , Snowville , and Fairfield in Utah , United States . Most recently found in Wyoming as well. It

273-485: The historic mining of salt which started in the copper age and Bronze Age. Pottery items found here are similar to artefacts found in Mesopotamia, Turkey, Bosnia, Romania and Poland. The lagoons are home to numerous species of birds, and this is the second largest wetland reserve in Spain after Doñana National Park . [REDACTED] Media related to Province of Zamora at Wikimedia Commons Variscite Variscite

294-602: The judicial system of Peñaranda , Cantalapiedra is a 'typical' town in Salamanca; in the middle of seamlessly endless plains of fertile wheat , and located between such historic states as the Old Kingdom of León and the Old Kingdom of Castile . The first organization in Cantalapiedra was the church of Santa Maria of the Castle . The town is surrounded by plains to the north, northeast, northwest and south, grown there to 'frame'

315-607: The next three centuries there were various conflicts as the Romans advanced into Celtic lands. The Romans built roads across the territory and in 1978 the Roman town of Requejo in Santa Cristina de la Polvorosa was revealed after erosion occurred following flooding of the area by the River Órbigo . In 197 BC, Spain was divided into two provinces, Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior , controlled by two separate Roman military forces. Zamora

336-549: The north lies León , to the east lies Valladolid , and to the south lies Salamanca . The River Esla rises in the Cantabrian Mountains in the north and flows southwards through the province before joining the River Douro (Spanish: el Duero) which then forms part of the boundary with Portugal. The Esla is the largest tributary of the Duero and where they join, discharges a greater quantity of water than that discharged by

357-658: The presence of various cultures over the years. Salt mining took place at Villafáfila , stone forts were built on fertile plains and near rivers, and others were built in the vicinity of mines where variscite and iron ore were extracted. Rock paintings have been discovered and artefacts found include everyday pottery, tools, and gold and silver jewellery. In the Iron Age , Celtic tribes built forts surrounded by moats but they were pastoral people, living in small villages, and did not build cities. They left standing stones and dolmens . The Romans first came to Spain in 218 BC, and over

378-455: The town. Its historic past is reflected in local landmarks , like the street of Weavers, encased within a wall, which goes up to the old slaughter house and leads to the street of the hospital. The rest of the old enclosure symbolizes the tower of the Dean. Now one can stroll down the main streets, immersed in the cultural and economic growth which has occurred in the 20th and 21st centuries. The town

399-492: The wines of Toro were the first to reach America, being taken there by Christopher Columbus . The region of Sanabria (or Senabria) is in the northwest of the province near the Sanabria Lake , one of the few large natural lakes in Spain, on the border with Galicia. It has been declared a Historic and Artistic centre. The lake is now part of Sanabria Lake Natural Park, having been declared a Natural Park in 1978. Fermoselle

420-512: Was in the latter region. Peace reigned until 155 BC when the Lusitanians attacked Hispania Ulterior. Two Roman defeats followed, and many other rebellions were sparked in the peninsula. The Romans eventually prevailed, and in 27 BC, subdivided the province of Hispania Ulterior into Hispania Baetica (modern-day Andalusia) and Lusitania , which included Zamora. When the Vandals invaded the province in

441-411: Was one of three provinces formed from the former Kingdom of León in 1833, when Spain was reorganized into 49 provinces . Of the 174,549 people (2018) in the province, nearly a third live in the capital, Zamora . This province has 250 municipalities. The Province of Zamora is in northwestern Spain where it borders on Portugal, which lies to the southwest. To the west lies the province of Ourense , to

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