Saturday was our first day trip here in Spain and our destination was the city of Salamanca which is an hour and a half southwest of Valladolid. In this trip our group was accompanied by students of other Universities that are also studying at Valladolid. Currently there are groups from California, Iowa, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.
Upon our arrival to the city we broke into groups by University and were taken on tours by professors of the University. Our guide was Jesus, an art history professor, who did an excellent job of describing both the history and the art of the building we saw in a way that all of the students were able to understand.
The first stop was the Convento de San Esteban. Here the students learned the historical importance of the city of Salamanca & a bit about the style of the architecture (plataresco) that we would see throughout the day. Jesús also emphasized the importance of the University of Salamanca. Even when it first opened in the 13th century it was home to students from abroad as it was recognized as one of the best universities in Europe!
Next up was la Plaza Mayor with its 88 arches.
We continued to wander the streets and were led to the Casa de las Conchas which is now a public library. As we marveled at the architecture we learned that the shells on the house as well as the sculptures on the inside had specific meanings at that time that helped everyone understand who lived here and the importance of this family.
The Plaza de la Universidad and the Patio de Escuelas Menores was our last stop before the lunch break. Here we were told an old story that was integrated into the construction and decoration of this building – the path of good vs. evil. This is symbolic not only in the two doors that are the entrance for the building but also in the many stairs the students must climb to reach their classes and the ugly decoration of the stairwell. This represents that the good path involves hard work and is the more difficult path but leads to a better future. I believe that many of our students are on the path and are reaping the rewards of their hard work and dedication already.
Our final destination of the day was La Catedral. Many students were in awe of this monstrous building and listened intently as Jesus explained that the private chapels on the side of the Cathedral were bought by those who wanted to be buried in the church. At this time there were no cemeteries and as the church took 300 years to be built, it needed the money as well. They were also able to see a relic of a saint’s arm. Apparently the king collected and traded relics and one has remained here in the church.
As we left Salamanca we marveled at all that we saw this day but also on some of the customs of Spain. Many people were waiting outside the Cathedral as there was a wedding there later in the afternoon. Everyone was dressed beautifully with elegant hairstyles, furs and fancy clothing. This was just as interesting as the architecture and history that abounds in Salamanca.