The Arco de la Estrella is the principal gateway to Cáceres' Old Town, connecting the Plaza Mayor with the Plaza de Santa María. Originally built in the 15th century as the Puerta Nueva to permit carriage passage after the walls lost defensive function, the structure was remodeled in 1726 in Baroque style by architect Manuel de Lara y Churriguera. Named for the statuette of the Virgin of the Star adorning its archway, this 18th-century monument gained further significance when Queen Isabella I swore in the city's privileges and rights in 1477, cementing its role as the most important gate of the medieval fortification.
