Vaugneritic Rocks Used in the Renaissance and Baroque of the City of Salamanca: Geological and Heritage Singularity

Vaugneritic rocks, a unique geological material from a small pluton near Salamanca, have played a pivotal role in shaping the city's architectural heritage. These quart-zmonzodiorites to quartz-monzonites exhibit distinct variations in texture and color, contributing to their durability and aesthetic appeal. Used extensively during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, they were favored for their technical and chromatic properties, with coarse-grained facies employed in classicist monuments and fine-grained ones in Baroque doorways and arches. The study highlights the geological singularity of these rocks, including a high degree of differentiation and unique rock facies not found elsewhere in the Iberian Massif. Their continuous use over nearly four centuries has contributed to the harmonization of Salamanca's architectural style, a concept highly valued but often overlooked.

González-Sánchez, M., López-Moro, F. J., López-Plaza, M., & de los Ríos Cobo, J. I. G. (2025). Vaugneritic Rocks Used in the Renaissance and Baroque of the City of Salamanca: Geological and Heritage Singularity. Geoheritage, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-025-01146-w