Guide to Salamanca, spain, tourist information Salamanca, hotels in Salamanca,
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Places in Spain - Salamanca

 

The Province
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. The area has more than its fair share of rivers, the largest of which is the Rio Tormes. The mountains of the Sierra de Bejar are snow-capped in the winter and the weather can be miserable, 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. Read more about the history of Salamanca here.

 
Salamanca City
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 6 in Spain. The university has much influence on Salamanca and brings it a great deal of life.

The only way to see the city is by foot and a good place to start is the Plaza Mayor, in the centre, voted the best public Plaza in Spain. Note the splendid City Hall with its clock tower. You will also find a helpful tourist office in this square. From here you will be able to walk 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.

 

 
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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. Salamanca has five Convents, all are worthy of a visit.

   
Within the city you will see numerous palaces and important houses. Look out for the Casa de las Conchas, House of Shells (right). 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.

 

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.

 

 

 

Our visit to Salamanca was in January 2002. We found the city very interesting and the streets had a vibrant life. The architecture was interesting and varied. The shopping area was a good visit and the restaurants were very welcoming. The city was easy to get in and out of, the traffic not too bad. Parking was a problem as it is with any city. The presence of the university is felt on every street corner.

 

 
 
     
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