Salamanca: Spain’s La Dorada
Surrounded by the majestic Sierra de Francia and the Sierra de Gredos mountains, Salamanca, also know as “La Dorada”, shines with a golden glow in the Spanish sun. This midsized city of approximately 200,000 inhabitants in the Castile-Leon region just 200 kilometers to the southwest of Madrid, and only about an hour away from Portugal, is a very special place. It is what many believe to be the real home of lively Castilian cultural atmosphere, its friendliness and hospitality and its gastronomy, as well. It also enjoys a particularly long world-cultural tradition and has even been recognized by UNESCO as the Guardian Angel of Humanity.
Upon entering Salamanca over the 2,000 year old Roman Bridge, The University of Salamanca might be one of the first structures to catch your eye. It is also another prime example of the city’s long and rich history. The University of Salamanca is one of the very oldest universities in the world, founded by King Alphonse IX only a short time after the Universities of Bologna and Paris. The building and the ornate faÃ?§ade one sees today however, was built much later during the time of the catholic kings.
The University’s world-famous library of over 150.000 volumes is a popular attraction, as is its renowned staircase depicting various bullfighting scenes. This region is the heart of Spanish bullfighting culture, of course, and it is said that students here used to write their names upon the faÃ?§ade with many a fallen bulls blood. And another interesting anecdote: In 1492, King Ferdinand himself consulted with leaders of the University here seeking advice on whether or not to support a rather hair-brained venture by a man named Christopher Columbus.
Salamanca also boasts one of the most beautiful baroque squares in Spain. The Plaza Mayor was built in the 18th century and forms the real center of town. The streets surrounding it abound with numerous important attractions and monuments, among them the famous Monastery of Saint Ursula and the church Iglesia de la Purisma. And most of the buildings near the center of town, even the newer ones, have been made with the famous “stone of Villamayor”. It contains a very high degree of iron and gives Salamanca its characteristic and well-loved golden color.
If you return to the University quarter and follow the narrow Calle CalderÃ?¡n from here, it will bring you directly to Salamanca’s beautiful cathedral. This stunning, towering structure is a typical example of the so-called plateresque building style so popular in Castilian Spain; it’s a style said to have appealed to the ornate taste of Queen Isabel. This extraordinary plateresque style is a transitional one from Gothic to Renaissance and typical here. The Spanish like to call this cathedral “La Nueva” (the new one), being that the older, less ornate Romanesque cathedral still stands meekly at its side. Take the time to visit the “Golden Chapel” sculptures inside and the “Patio Chico” (the small yard) between the two churches.
Salamanca is famous for its many monasteries, several of them in the direct vicinity of the cathedrals. If you walk through the Gran Via you will quickly discover the ancient, 16th century building housing the Convento y Museo de las Duenas. Don’t miss visiting the wonderful courtyard. Another beautiful convent in this area is the Convento de las Claras and it, too, is well worth a visit.
It is said that the people of Salamanca speak the purest form of Spanish and this, of course, makes this city one of the most popular destinations for foreign students in Spain. Young people who come to Salamanca are quickly struck by the quality of its educational institutions and the youthful, bustling atmosphere along its busy streets. It’s an ideal place to study or to learn Spanish; Salamanca is large enough to offer the advantages of a big city and yet maintains that friendly, small town feeling at the same time. Over 50,000 students come to study here every year and well over 10 percent of them come from abroad.
The food in Salamanca, as in the rest of Spain for that matter, is fabulous. A huge variety of restaurants seem to await you at every turn as you stroll through Salamanca’s friendly and sunny streets. Local specialties abound, but one dish that can never be left out will be the roast suckling pig (or the lamb, either way you can’t go wrong).
There is not other way to put it. Salamanca has a certain special touch to it. And if you are one of the lucky ones who not only come here to visit, but to actually live Spain as well, then this is certainly the special place for you.
