City of Salamanca (Spain): history, attractions, photo

Salamanca (Spain) - this is the most beautiful city of Old Castile, which fell in love with tourists for the unique architectural structures built several hundred years ago. In the people he was called a small Rome. There are a lot of sights, which are of historical value not only for Spain, but for the whole world. Tourists are very fond of this place, especially those who can not live without studying the architectural features of countries and cities. It's time to get to know the beautiful Salamanca!

A bit about the city: geography and population

Salamanca (Spain) is located in the western part of the country, 212 km from Madrid, if you follow the north-west direction. The city is the capital of the province of the same name and belongs to the autonomous region of Castile-Leon. The approximate population is 170,000 people.

About how Salamanca appeared on the world map

The city is the oldest of all, located in the territory of Spain. Its history begins in the III century BC, when on this site was the settlement of a small Celtic tribe, conquered by Hannibal. Further, the city, at that time called Helmantika (or Salmantika), was a point on the "Silver Road" of the Romans. Evidence of the truth of this fact is the bridge that has survived to this day across the River Tormes.

When the Moors were expelled from this locality (what happened in 1085), Salamanca (Spain) began to be transformed: a cathedral and several temples in the Romanesque style were built. Speaking about the architecture of the city, which plays a key role in its modern appearance, it is worth noting that thanks to the use of gold stone, which was used in construction in the XIII century, modern people can admire the characteristic distinctive feature of these unique creations.

But the XIII century became significant not because of the golden stone. At this time, King Alphonse IX signed a decree on the construction of a university, for which almost 800 years later tourists have gone to Salamanca, and thousands of students want to study today, because Cervantes and Lope de Vega were educated here .

The university was built in 1218. And, probably, only thanks to him the city so rapidly developed, keeping pace with the educational institution. Years and decades passed, centuries passed, and Salamanca grew: new buildings for various purposes, monasteries and churches appeared. Later, in the 1400s, the city was awarded the title of a key cultural center of the country, again thanks to the university.

In 1985, the entire old area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city of Salamanca in Spain is a unique village, whose appearance is unique.

A small description of the town

Since the city is called a small Rome, it is worth saying that the role of the Tiber is played by Tormes. Just on its right bank and is the famous, mesmerizing, beautiful Old City. The central part is represented by an area called Plaza Mayor. Surrounding its buildings in the Baroque style, which give the elegance of sculptural compositions, carvings and reliefs of prominent figures in Spain. Also, there are major city buildings, like the City Hall and the municipality, and entertainment establishments - shops, cafes and restaurants. From the Plaza Mayor through the entire Old City there are 2 central streets (Salamanca, Spain) - this is Rua Mayor and San Pablo.

To the south of the central square is the University Quarter. The main building, built in the XV century, is made in the Gothic style, and the facade is literally strewn with various mythical heroes, coats of arms and images from religious scenes.

Nearby - Old and New Cathedrals. Although the latter is difficult to call it - it was built in the XVI-XVIII centuries. The old one was built in the XIII century, it is designed in Romanesque style. And New is remarkable for mixing Renaissance and Gothic, creating something amazing and fascinating.

Opposite the Cathedral stands a palace in the style of neoclassicism - this is the Palacio de Anaya 18th century building. Now he is busy with the Faculty of Philology of the University. Also near the campus, which occupies almost the entire center of the city, you can see the Salamanca Museum in the XV century palace of the Casa Abarca, the House with seashells (Casa de las Conchas) and the College of La Clercesia.

In the northern area of the Old Town attracts the attention of the convent Convento de las Ursulas from the 16th century. Impressive tourists are the House of the Dead (Casa de las Muertes), whose facade is decorated with stone skulls, and the Church of San Marcos with a collection of Gothic frescoes, which has a round shape.

Salamanca (Spain): attractions

Places you should definitely visit:

• The central square of the Plaza Mayor is Baroque.
• The central market is Mercado de Salamanca.
• House with seashells, built in 1193 in the Gothic style.
• University of Salamanca (campus).
• Old and New Cathedrals.
• Dominican Convent of San Esteban.
• Bridge Puente Romano, erected during the reign of Troyan.
• Watchtower Clavero XV centuries of construction.
• The Monterrey Palace, built in 1539 in the style of the Plateresque.
• The house of the dead is in the Gothic style of the 16th century.
• Museum of Fine Arts of Salamanca.
• Area of Columbus.

Salamanca University - the reason for the popularity of the Spanish city

Many universities of Spain are famous. Salamanca still wins significantly in this matter compared to other cities. In its main educational institution is a huge library and no less large-scale archive, because it exists for almost a millennium.

There are 16 faculties at the University:

• biological;
• pharmaceutical;
• Archival studies;
• Theology;
• agrarian;
• pedagogical;
• legal;
• philological;
• Philosophy;
• Natural sciences;
• economic;
• stories;
• Geography;
• Arts;
• Psychology;
• medical.

But for today, although the educational institution continues to train specialists in various fields of knowledge (namely - 88 specializations), it represents more historical and architectural than scientific value. By the way, in the middle of 2004 the population of the campus was 28155 people, and this is about a sixth of all people living in Salamanca.

How to get there?

In Salamanca (Spain) you can arrive by direct flight from Moscow, as there is your own airport there. You can also fly to Madrid, and from there go to the oldest city by train or bus. The latter option is more relevant for those who wish to first get acquainted with the Spanish capital, and then with the provinces.

What do experienced tourists advise?

Travelers who have already visited this beautiful place say that it is difficult to plan a trip, since the city is one huge museum. To study all the sights are recommended to give at least two full days, having planned an approximate time of visiting sights. From 13 to 16 hours of siesta - this must be remembered.

The second advice is to buy a map of the city. With it, visiting attractions will be cheaper, since it costs 23 euros, and if you pay "on the spot", you will need to allocate at least 36 euros.

Do not be afraid to take a taxi - it's cheap here. But, of course, if you need to constantly move around in transport, then the bus will be a more economical option.

Intro to Salamanca hotels and accommodations

There are both prestigious hotels, and quite cheap hostels. Accommodation in the hostel will cost an average of 1000-1500 rubles per day, and the hotel - about 4-6 thousand, depending on the location and "star". One of the best options is Microtel Placentinos - it has good reviews, is located in the city center, and the cost of accommodation starts at 2300 rubles.

The city of Salamanca (Spain), whose photo was presented in the article, is a real paradise for connoisseurs of Romanesque and Gothic styles, as well as for people who like to study the past, visiting the sights of different countries. This is a place where you can drown, admiring the Byzantine motifs, the unique Plateresque, the golden stone shining in the sun, from which many buildings are built, the unique beauty of the domes of churches and painted altars. In general, Salamanca is a city that you need to visit at least once in your life!