The Meseta is a plateau region located in the center of the Iberian Peninsula. The area includes the majority of Spain and Portugal. The name “Meseta” comes from the Spanish word for plateau or tableland. Multiple mountain ranges surround the area. These include the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian Mountains, the Sistema Ibérico, the Sierra Morena, and the Portuguese Mountains.
The Meseta covers an area of about 200,000 square kilometers and has an average elevation of around 600 to 700 meters above sea level. Two sub-regions divide the area. Rolling hills and dryland farming land cover the Northern Meseta. The Southern Meseta is a high plateau with a more arid climate and is dominated by extensive grazing land. Many of Spain’s most important cities, including Madrid, Toledo, and Valladolid, call this region home.
Significant historical and cultural landmarks live in many of the region’s cities, such as Toledo, Segovia, and Salamanca. In addition, the Spanish Golden Age saw the Meseta as a key location. This was a period of great cultural, artistic, and literary achievement in Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries. The art and architecture of the region’s many museums and galleries reflect this fact.
