World Heritage Identification Number: 381
World Heritage since: 1988
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Historic Cities & Urban Areas
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇪🇸 Spain
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
Map
A Historical Journey Through the Old City of Salamanca
The Old City of Salamanca, located in the heart of Spain, offers a unique blend of history, culture, and architectural splendor that makes it a must-visit destination for travelers. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, this ancient university town boasts a rich heritage dating back to the 3rd century B.C., making it a testament to the enduring spirit of human civilization.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
This ancient university town north-west of Madrid was first conquered by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century B.C. It then became a Roman settlement before being ruled by the Moors until the 11th century. The university, one of the oldest in Europe, reached its high point during Salamanca's golden age. The city's historic centre has important Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance and Baroque monuments. The Plaza Mayor, with its galleries and arcades, is particularly impressive.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (i): The Plaza Mayor of Salamanca, built as a result of a solemn decision by King Philip V in 1710, is a unique artistic achievement in Baroque art, and considered by many the heart of the Golden City (La Dorada). Begun in 1729 according to plans drawn by Alberto de Churriguera, and finished in 1755 by Andrés García de Quiñones, and with contributions from Nicolás de Churriguera and José de Lara de Churriguera, it is one of the most important urban ensembles of 18th century Europe.
Criterion (ii): With the Plaza Mayor, the Clerecía (the Jesuit seminary), the college of Calatrava, the Colegio San Ambrosio, the churches of San Sebastián and Santa Cruz de Cañizares, the New Cathedral, and San Esteban, Salamanca is one of the essential art centres of the Churriguera family dynasty of architects, decorators and sculptors of Catalonia. The “churrigueresque” style exerted considerable influence in the 18th century not only in the Iberian Peninsula, but also in Latin America.
Criterion (iv): Although founded later than those of Bologna, Paris, and Oxford, the University of Salamanca had already established itself as one of the best academic institutions in Europe by 1250. It conserves an admirable architectural heritage that illustrates the diverse functions of a university institution in the Christian world. The Hospital del Estudio, the Escuelas Mayores, the Escuelas Menores, and the various colleges, which multiplied between the 15th and 18th centuries, form a group of exceptional coherence within a historic city also remarkable for its numerous civil and religious monuments.
Encyclopedia Record: Salamanca
Salamanca is a municipality and city in Spain, capital of the province of Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Attached to the comarca of Campo Charro, the city lies on the northern half of the Meseta Central, in the western-central part of the Iberian Peninsula, straddling the Tormes river. As of 2017, the municipality has a registered population of 144,436.Additional Site Details
Area: 50.78 hectares
Number of Components: 8
(ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 40.96525 , -5.6645
Image
© Santiagova, CC BY-SA 3.0 es Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
