Salamanca University

Historic Building in Salamanca

Old Library In University Of Salamanca — CC BY-SA 3.0 / Antoine Taveneaux

Salamanca, Ciudad Patrimonio De La Humanidad — CC BY-SA 2.0 / manuel m. v

Salamanca University was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX, and gained great prestige outside Spain as a centre for teaching and culture.

The university building has a square floorplan with a central courtyard and surrounding galleries. Its most interesting feature is its Plateresque façade. The Escuelas Menores buildings stand beside the University and have façades in a similar artistic style, and in one of their classrooms you can still see the ceiling painted by Fernando Gállego.

The university library, the oldest in Europe contains some 2800 manuscripts gathering dust, the library is a real cemetery of forgotten books. Note the fine late-Gothic features and beautiful carved wooden ceiling (techumbre).

Visiting Salamanca University

Address: Patio de Escuelas Menores, 37008 Salamanca

Duration: 20 minutes

Official Website