CACERES

town, capital of Cceres provincia, in the Extremadura comunidad autnoma (autonomous community), western Spain. It is built on a low east-west ridge, south of the Tagus River and about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Badajoz. Originating as the Roman town of Norba Caesarina, it was under Moorish control from the 9th century and was known as Alkazares until reconquered for the Christians by Alfonso IX of Leon in 1229. The military Order of Santiago (originally the Fratres de Cceres) was founded there in 1171 to protect the town during a brief interim of Christian rule. The old, upper town is surrounded by massive, turreted walls that are half Roman and half Moorish. This part of the town has several medieval palaces and is dominated by the tower of the Gothic-style Church of San Mateo, built in the 16th century on the site of a mosque. Other landmarks include Santa Mara la Mayor Church (15th century) and the Casa de Toledo-Moctezuma, once the home of the conquistador Juan Cano. The lower, modern town contains law courts, the town hall, and the palace of the bishops of Coria. Cceres produces cork and leather goods, pottery, and cloth and exports grain, fruit, oil, livestock, wool, sausages, and phosphates from nearby mines. It is well known for its hams. Pop. (1992 est.) 75,134. provincia of the Extremadura comunidad autnoma (autonomous community), western Spain, bordering Portugal on the west. The Tagus River runs through the province. Conquered by Alfonso IX from the Moors in 1229, it became part of the kingdom of Leon and was made a province of Spain in 1833. Mountainous areas in the extreme north and south are formed by the Central and Toledo mountains, respectively; their landscape and wildlife are preserved by a nature park created in 1979 at Monfrague. The remainder of the province is a fertile plain watered by the Tagus River and its tributaries. The Gabriel y Galn dam, on the Alagn River, is a source of hydroelectric power and irrigation. Cceres is primarily an agricultural (cereals, olives, cotton, tobacco, pepper) and cattle- raising region. Large flocks of sheep are pastured along the Tagus River during the winter. Pig keeping is also important, and there are numerous evergreen, oak, and cork tree forests that are as yet little-exploited. The province includes Las Hurdes, which historically was one of the poorest and most backward regions in Spain. Conditions have improved there, however. Industry is mainly concentrated in Cceres city, the provincial capital. Area 7,701 square miles (19,945 square km). Pop. (1992 est.) 433,700.