Salamanca, Spain

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Salamanca

Right-o we are in Salamanca on the recommendation of Alejandro and again we’ve come across another very majestic city. Salamanca is a University Town and the oldest Uni in Spain is located here. Like all Spanish town/cities it has a Plaza Mayor the here you seem to gravitate towards it without trying. Walking around the afternoon we arrive to get some sort of orientation and we kept ending up in the Plaza Mayor. Down a couple of streets here and there and suddenly Plaza Mayor is in front of you. Walk the other way a few turns here and there and yep, your back at another Plaza Mayor entry.

Jay and I did our own thing for a day here and I decided to wonder and see where it took me. I started off walking past Casa De Las Conchas, named after the Conchas shell’s that are on the outside of the building all up I think there is something like 300 or so of these.

Opposite the Casa De Las Conchas is the Iglesia (church) de la Purisima I managed to get on a walking tour to look around, unfortunately the tour was in French 😞 so learnt nothing from it but was really nice to look through the building.

After going through Iglesia de la Purisima I walked down a side street and came upon University Salamanca. This is the oldest university in Spain and is also answers the question as to why Salamanca has a “Frog” as its emblem. On one of the pillars around the entrance of the University there is a frog sitting on the head of a skull. It is said if you can find the frog then good fortune will come your way. (My cousin Raelene would love Salamanca as everywhere you look along with the tacky cheap clutter souvenirs there are some really funky and different frog souvenirs to be purchased.) Anyway I digress, the facade of the University has the most intricate stone work and I spent a good ½ hour just looking at it ... and trying to find the frog which I did eventually.

After that it was off to a convent (Convento e Iglesia de San Esteban) that Jay & I walked past during our orientation walk the day before. Like most of the buildings in Salamanca the stone work on the facade of the building is breathtaking. Inside there is a nice garden and a magnificent church and some lovely architecture.

Once I’d finished going thru the Convento I took a “short cut” to the river and got a little geographically misplaced ... okay, I sort of got lost. Taking 5 to re-orientate myself the local drunk took it upon himself to tell me something I’d worked out just seconds before, and missing my window of escape, and he insisted on showing me the way. Thoughts going thru my head at this stage were, Australian girl missing.... and good stuff like that. I eventually got away from the iron grip on my arm and made it to the final monument for the day, a combination of cathedrals’ Cathedral Nueva, Cathedral Viejas and Torres Medieval de la Cathedral.


There is a whole heap of history I could write about these 3 places as they converge to make one massive structure but that involves way too much brain power and memory so the basics are:
Cathedral Nueva - It was added onto the Old Cathedral in the early 1500’s and finished sometime in the early 1600’s. The New Cathedral has two different architecture styles, Gothic and Baroque but it does merge into the Old Cathedral that has Romanesque architecture.
Cathedral Vieja - the Old Cathedral. Built in the 1200’s to 1300’s and is Romanesque architecture. You have to enter in through the New Cathedral (I know it gets confusing with this Old & New Cathedral thing) and inside it is amazing.

Torres Medieval de la Cathedral - this is a tower connected to the Cathedrals and there are walkways that take you up to the ceiling so you get a bird’s eye view of the Cathedrals and the religious adornments. The tower also enables you to walk around viewing platforms at the top and you can get a spectacular view of the city from here.
Right that’s enough history from me and like me you’ve probably already forgotten the facts that I just written.

After the Cathedrals I wondered down to the river and chilled out near the bridges as it was nice and quiet and had a great view of the Cathedrals. Afterwards it was back to the Hostel to catch up with Jay for the evening.

The final day in Salamanca was spent with Jay wondering around the city and relaxing in a huge park watching the fitter people of the world running past and exercising. Something that is but a distant memory for me these days. The afternoon was spent bar hopping and having Vino Tino with Pintox/Tapas and an afternoon siesta before watching the world cup finals.

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