Salamanca, Castilla y Leon
Salamanca, Castilla y Leon - Overview:
Salamanca's great historical importance is due to its University, one of the oldest in Europe. It is a city of outstanding beauty and rich cultural heritage. Salamanca is a very attractive place to visit if you want to soak up an authentic Castillan culture, enjoy a vibrant night life and perhaps learn a little Spanish.
Salamanca is probably best known for having the oldest university in Spain and one of the oldest in Europe. Here you can see hundreds of students passing through the streets and enjoying numerous and beautifully decorated bars until late at night. This charming town retains its architectural purity and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In central areas, any new buildings are constructed in keeping with traditional architrecural style.
Salamanca, Castilla y Leon - Geography:
The province of Salamanca, within Castilla y Leon, has much in common with its neighbour Extremadura. The countryside is fairly typical where fighting bulls graze alongside flocks of sheep and vast areas are planted with wheat. Salamanca has more than its fair share of rivers, the largest of which is the Rio Tormes. The mountains of the Sierra de Bejar are snowcapped in the winter, however the summer days can be long and hot. Much of the area is hardly populated and the countryside is dotted with little villages, locked in time. Salamanca has been occupied since prehistoric times, proved by cave paintings in the south.
Salamanca, Castilla y Leon - Sightseeing:
Salamanca is an ancient city famous for its university founded in the 1200's. Located north west of Madrid and just 117km from Portugal. Voted one of the World Heritage Cities by UNESCO, one of only six in Spain. The university has much influence over Salamanca and brings it a great deal of life to the city.
The best way to explore Salamanca is on foot and a good place to start is the Plaza Mayor at the centre and voted the best public Plaza in Spain.
From here you can stroll through the arcade of shops, picking up the latest fashions and hand-made goods. You will be in easy reach of the Old Cathedral where you can see the Gothic tombs of past Bishops. The New Cathedral is located in Plaza Juan XXII and dates from 1513.
The New Cathedral was constructed to accommodate the huge number of students attending the university and it took 200 years to build. The city also has a wealth of important churches, some of which date back to the 11 and 1200's. In the Plaza de San Esteban stands the Monastery of San Esteban. Construction started in 1525 by order of the Bishop of Cordoba. It was completed by 1618. The front of the church shows some fine sculptures and the interior houses several impressive murals. Within the structure there is a lovely green courtyard. Additionally Salamanca has five Convents which are all are worthy of a visit.
Within Salamanca you will see numerous palaces and important houses. Look out for the Casa de las Conchas, House of Shells. This unusual building was built at the start of the 16th century. Details of its history are unclear but it would seem that the builder was a Knight of Santiago so he applied the most common symbol of the order, the shell. The coat of arms also features on the corner. The front features the coat of arms of the Catholic Monarch.
One of the most important buildings in Salamanca is the university. It was founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of Leon. The university occupies most of the city's important buildings. One such example is the Hospital del Estudio which is now the University Rectory. It was founded before 1469 and rebuilt around 1472.
Salamanca, Castilla y Leon - Nightlife:
The streets of Salamanca are both an education and a pleasure and you will often stumble across a plaza or a courtyard in which to sit and watch life go by. The presence of students within the city gives it a constant vibrant feeling, especially at night. You will find every kind of restaurant within the city as well as bars, theatres, museums and cinemas. Salamanca is a wonderful city to visit, no matter how long your stay.
Salamanca, Castilla y Leon - Our holiday accommodation and service:
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