Places of interest in Spain – Salamanca

Those who visit Spain will always cherish the sweet memories of their visit – the beautiful natural sceneries, vast beaches, majestic mountains and luxurious villas for relishing this imposing beauty. There are many places to visit in Spain and Salamanca is one such place known for its natural beauty and many places of historical importance worth visiting. Let us take a tour of Salamanca.

We start our tour from the renowned place of learning; the University of Salamanca. This is one of the oldest universities believed to have been started in 1218 by the king Alfonso IX. This important place of learning is located in one of the most historic buildings. The building is believed to have been renovated in the 16th century and is full of stunningly beautiful sculpture works by the famous sculptors of Spain.

The architects who designed this building had a vision and that was to create a ‘doorway to heaven’. May be they perceived education as the route to achieve their goal.

The classrooms are believed to have been started in the 16th century and the university has a huge collection of books exceeding 160000 in number. If you want to test your luck, visit the old university’s vault. There is a carved skull and a tiny frog which sits hidden inside the intricate carving work of the skull. The belief goes that those who find the frog are blessed with good luck. Students believe that if they locate the f
rog, they would pass the examination.

After being blessed with good luck by the tiny frog, we will now go to the cathedral for the blessings of the Almighty. This cathedral believed to have been constructed in the year 1530 is a marvelous example of Gothic architecture. Those who visit this cathedral are sure to get mesmerized by the highly intricate carved stonework, frescoes and many other works of art. There are many Gothic tombs. There is also an ornate chapel and a part of the chapel is being used as an examination hall by the university.

Now we are in the house of Shells (Casa de las Conchas). This Gothic architecture building is actually a mansion built by Saint James which is considered to be a sacred symbol. It is certainly a place which should never be missed. You can enjoy the beautiful works of art and other ancient painting works in this building. It is certainly a pleasure to see this beautiful building.

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