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The old name of the town was Alesúes or Alesves , until the times of Sancho el Fuerte, when the name was changed to Villafranca due to "the generous exemptions granted by the kings".
In 1271 Villafranca was granted specific exemptions and in 1416, Carlos III el Noble issued the privilege of nobility to all the town's citizens as a tribute to their brave service to the kingdom.
Villafranca has one of the finest collections of baroque monuments in the Ribera de Navarra, including the Parish Church of Santa Eufemia , a baroque monument erected during the 16 th and 17 th centuries. The bell tower of this church is one of the finest examples in the region, comparable even to the tower at the Cathedral of Tudela.
The Basilica of the Virgen del Portal is a 17 th century convent-church with a splendid main altarpiece and baroque paintings.
The Convent of Nuestra Señora del Carmen is an 18 th century baroque temple with a façade that has a shrine presided by the Virgin del Carmen.
The best example of civil architecture is the Palace of the Marqúes de Bobadilla , with monumental brickwork dating to the 17 th century.
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