In order to talk in detail about her origins, Sarah Santaolalla has to tour several provinces in Spain. His father is from León, but moved to Asturias, while his mother is from Burgos. However, to make matters worse, their paths crossed in a fourth place: Salamanca. She herself explained it this way in an interview with 'El Mundo': “I am the daughter of a father from León who is going to live in Asturias and a mother from Burgos who met in Salamanca.”
Furthermore, the latter is also the city in which the political analyst was born and where she appeared on the municipal lists of the PSOE in the years 2019 and 2023. However, for those of us who do not have the beginning of our biography there, this may be the sign that we did not know we needed to decide to take a getaway this autumn. Salamanca has no shortage of reasons.
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The city of two cathedrals
Starting with its old city, which was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988, and continuing with its list of monuments, among which are: a university of medieval origin, two cathedrals and a Plaza Mayor which is necessary to visit more than once during the same trip.
It is in the Plaza Mayor where meeting for a drink means distracting yourself from the conversation by admiring its architecture. Built between 1729 and 1755, with Alberto de Churriguera at the helm of its first stage, it has in the medallions and the decoration of its facades a good part of its particular baroque repertoire. To look for these details, just take a look around the arcades before choosing a terrace.
Castilla y León Tourism
However, not everything is due to churrigueresque. The Villamayor stone is responsible for the characteristic golden tone that is present in this and many other places in Salamanca. At dusk, the light accentuates it. So it's a good time to return to the square and see it illuminated.
Looking for the frog on the façade of the University has also become another tourist ritual in Salamanca. Spoiler: It is found on a skull, among the reliefs of the plateresque façade of the Escuelas Mayores. Although as soon as you are there you immediately understand that it is a shame to reduce that whole facade to locating a tiny animal.
This University has its origins in the General Study that Alfonso IX of León founded in 1218. The Patio de Escuelas puts us in front of its historic building, a privileged place where we can once again observe the stone work of Villamayor. Between shields, figures and ornaments, there is enough to dwell on.
Javier Martin
On the other hand, one cannot simply talk about “the cathedral” in Salamanca, but rather it requires specifying why there are two: The Old and the New. Of course, since they are attached, you can go from one medieval temple to another without having to travel to another part of the city. It should be noted that “new” is a saying, since construction began in 1513 and was inaugurated in 1733. As so often happens in historic cities, this adjective must be understood in relative terms.
As for the Old Cathedral, it preserves the transitional Romanesque architecture and its characteristic Torre del Gallo. The tour of the cathedral towers is highly recommended because it allows you to look out because it allows you to contemplate both the terraces and the architecture that have been discovered on foot from above.
Javier Martin
Another stop is the Casa de las Conchas, whose façade allows you to recognize it without consulting the map. This mansion from the time of the Catholic Monarchs combines late Gothic, Mudejar and Renaissance elements. But its interest does not end in the exterior decoration because it currently houses a public library. , so it continues to be part of the city's daily life.
Next door, the baroque complex of the Clerecía and the Pontifical University extend the monumental walk. However, at any time, you can return to the Plaza Mayor, look for a table and leave the next building for later. Salamanca, in reality, is to be visited without rushing.
Cover photo | @makeupavenida
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