Salamanca

:: April 20 - 23 ::

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The logistics proved pleasant and efficient. On our third train of the afternoon--after a transfer of stations and trains in Madrid--we crossed over and through the Guadarrama mountain range and some snow-covered landscape before arriving late afternoon in Salamanca, a city with ancient walls of golden limestone. 

Our lodging, Hosteria Sara, is very close to the huge city-center Plaza Mayor.

We wandered over.

Built in 1710, this central plaza is a beautiful, active space: Spanish Baroque architecture, colonades on 4 sides. Storks on top of one of the buildings kept watch from their nest.

City Hall sits on one side. There are many restaurants with outdoor plaza seating. We came back here often during the next 2 days. The music of an Alphorn group entertained us one evening in the plaza's center. 

Near the plaza, a bronze statue to the memory of a beloved Salamanca poet, Remigio González Martín (Andares) stands. He would read his poems and sell his books daily from this spot. So, two poets met.

The historic core has large pedestrianized areas making it very enjoyable to walk around.

Salamanca University, one of the oldest in Europe, was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX. The architectural heritage of its college buildings reflects Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque eras. 

We photographed groups of costumed students from the Philosophy and Environmental Sciences Colleges who were celebrating a festival day.

The old Cathedral (Romanesque-12th-13th centuries) is joined to the 16th century cathedral (Spanish Baroque) and towers above the city.

We made a fun visit to The Casa Lis, a mansion built by a rich local industrialist into the old city wall in 1905 in the modernist style. Today it houses a museum of Art Deco and Art Nouveau with exhibits of period pieces: painting, glass, sculpture, dolls, jewelry, etc.. We were unable to take pictures inside: spectacular stained glass ceiling, inner courtyard and other interesting spaces. However, most beautiful is the building itself.

The outside shots give a hint of this unique house on the wall that guarded the medieval center.

Another renowned house, the Casa de las Conchas, covered by 300 carved stone shells, was built from 1493- 1517 by a knight who was both a university professor and a member of the Order of Santiago de Compostela. The scallop shell has been carried for centuries by all who make the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. 

Today this Salamanca idiosyncratic building houses a library.

The Roman Bridge built in the 1st century crosses the Tormes River and its floodplain. It was part of an ancient road connecting cities in this part of Spain.

Close to the Plaza is the art nouveau market with stands of fish, vegetables, meat (whole hanging Ibérico hams), pasties, olives, spices and other Spanish delicacies.