Salamanca (part 2)

Plaza Mayor

This large square, created in 18th century by Churriguera is without doubt among the most beautiful in Spain. It forms the real center of town, not only geographically. In the streets around there are many important monuments, as the church Iglesia de la Purisima and the Monastery of Saint Ursula in Calle Bordadores, the Capuchins Church in Calle Ramon y Cajal, the College of the Archbishop of Fonseca and, at its side, the Monasterio de los Irlandeses, an outstanding work of 16th century with a splendid Renaissance court, created by Berruguete.

Plaza Major

The Monasteries

Around the cathedral and along Gran Via there are several monasteries which deserve a visit.

Convento y Museo de las Dueñas is a plateresque 16th century building with a fantastic claustrum and beautiful court.

The Convento de San Esteban, also of 16th century and built by Juan de Alava, with an altar of Churriguera, is another masterwork of plateresque style. Churriguera was also the architect of the beautiful baroque Colegio de Calatrava.

More buildings worth visiting are the Convento de las Claras, Convento de los Jesuitas and the church Iglesia de Sancti Spiritus.

The Statues

Those statues remind of important historical or legendary figures, who have determined Salamanca's long history of high culture.

Let us start with figures of medieval literature as the lovers Calixto y Melibea, in the "Gardens of the Matchmaker Celestina, where, as legend tells us, they used to meet in secret.

A statue of Saint Teresa of Avila you will find at the square called after her, a statue of famous jurist Padre Vitoria face to face to the Convento de San Esteban where he was living. At the same square lived, by the way, Christopher Columbus for some time. He didn't find open ears for his projects in Salamanca, maybe this is the reason why is monument is not located here but at Plaza de Colón.

Famous authors who lived in Salamanca were Nebrija, whose monument you may visit close to the Church of San Marcos, Gabriel y Galán, at the square called after him and Miguel de Unamuno, close to the Convento de Santa Ursula.

More Monuments

At the end a few more monuments the visitor to Salamanca should not miss:

El Puente Romano, the Roman bridge over the river Tormes, one of the best conserved in all Spain. The House Lis, an outstanding example of the modernist architecture of early 20th century and the region's most visited museum . And finally the avenue Gran Via, of unique harmony as all the buildings and the beautiful arcades are made of the golden stone from Villamayor.

 El Puente Romano