Salamanca

Salamanca
View of Salamanca

Flag

Coat of arms
Location of Salamanca in Spain
Coordinates:
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Castile and León
Province Salamanca
Government
 • Mayor Alfonso Fernando Fernández Mañueco (Partido Popular)
Area
 • Total 38.6 km2 (14.9 sq mi)
Elevation 802 m (2,631 ft)
Population (2010)
 • Total metropolitan:213,399 city:154,462
 • Density 4,034/km2 (10,448/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Area code(s) 34 (Spain) + 923 (Salamanca)
Website www.salamanca.es

Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to the teaching of the Spanish language.[1] Salamanca supplies 16% of Spain's market[2] and attracts thousands of international students,[3] generating a diverse multicultural environment.

It is situated approximately 200 km (120 mi) west of Madrid and 80 km (50 mi) east of the Portuguese border. The University of Salamanca, which was founded in 1218, is the oldest university in Spain and the third oldest western university. With its 30,000 students, the university is, together with tourism, the economic engine of the city. Salamanca is the capital of the province of Salamanca, which belongs to the autonomous community of Castile and León (Castilla y León). With a metropolitan population around 192,000 it is the second most populated urban area in Castile and León, after Valladolid (369,000), and closely followed by Leon (187,000) and Burgos (176,000).

Contents

History

The city was founded in the pre-Ancient Rome period by the Vacceos, a Celtic tribe, as one of a pair of forts to defend their territory near the Duero river. In the 3rd century BC, Beto laid siege to the city. With the fall of the Carthaginians to the Romans, the city of Helmantica, as it was known, began to take more importance as a commercial hub in the Roman Hispania due to its favorable location. Salamanca lay on a Roman road, known as the Vía de la Plata, which connected it with Emerita Augusta (present day Mérida) to the south and Asturica Augusta (present-day Astorga) to the north. Its Roman bridge dates from the first century, and was a part of this road.

With the fall of the Roman Empire, the Alans established in Lusitania, and Salamanca was part of this region. Later the city was conquered by the Visigoths and included in their territory. The city was already an episcopal see, and signatures of bishops of Salamanca are found in the Councils of Toledo.

Salamanca surrendered to the Moors, led by Musa bin Nusair, in the year 712 AD. For years this area between the south of Duero River and the north of Tormes River, became the main battlefield between the Christian kingdoms and the Muslim Al-Andalus rulers. The constant fighting of the Kingdom of León first, and the Kingdom of Castile and León later against the Caliphate depopulated Salamanca and reduced it to an unimportant settlement. After the battle of Simancas (939) the Christians resettled this area. After the capture of Toledo by Alfonso VI of León and Castile in 1085, the definitive resettlement of the city took place. Raymond of Burgundy, instructed by his father-in-law Alfonso VI of León, led a group of settlers of various origins in 1102.

One of the most important moments in Salamanca's history was the year 1218, when Alfonso IX of León granted a royal charter to the University of Salamanca, while formal teaching had existed at least since 1130. Soon it became one of the most significant and prestigious academic centres in Europe.

During the XVI century the city reached its fruit splendor (around 6,500 students and a total population of 24,000). During that period the University of Salamanca hosted the most important intellectuals of the time, these groups of mostly-dominicans scholars were designated the School of Salamanca. The juridical doctrine of the School of Salamanca represented the end of medieval concepts of law, and founded the fundamental body of the ulterior European law and morality concepts, including rights as a corporeal being mice (right to life), economic rights (own property) and spiritual rights (freedom of thought and to human dignity).

In 1551 the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V ordered an inquiry to find out if the science of Andreas Vesalius, physician and anatomist, was in line with the Catholic doctrine. Vesalius came to Salamanca that same year to appear before the board and was acquitted.

Salamanca suffered the general smalls of the Kingdom of Castile during the XVII century, but in the XVIII century it had a new reborn. In this period the new baroque Cathedral and main square (Plaza Mayor) were finished.

In the Peninsular War of the Napoleonic campaigns, the Battle of Salamanca, fought July 22, 1812, was a serious setback for the French, and a mighty setback for Salamanca, whose western quarter was seriously damaged. The battle which raged that day is famous as a defining moment in military history; many thousands of men were slaughtered by cannon fire in the space of only a few short hours.

During the devastating Spanish Civil War (1936-9) the city quickly went over to the Nationalist side and was temporarily used as a capital. The Nationalists soon moved their capital to Burgos, which being larger and more central was better suited for this purpose. Like much of fervently Catholic and largely rural Castille, Salamanca was a staunch supporter of the Nationalist side and Francisco Franco's regime for its long duration.

In 1988 the old city was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1998 it was declared European Capital of Culture for year 2002 (shared with Bruges). During 14 and 15 October 2005 it hosted the XV the Ibero-American Summits of Heads of State and Governments.

Since 1996 Salamanca has been the designated site of the archive of the Spanish Civil War (Archivo General de la Guerra Civil Española). The original documents were assembled by the Francoist regime, selectively obtained from the administrative departments of various institutions and organizations during the Spanish Civil War as a repressive instrument used against opposition groups and individuals.[4] The socialist government moved the Catalan part of the archive to Barcelona in 2006 despite opposition from the local authorities and popular protests.

Main sights

The Old City of Salamanca was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

Code Name Location Coordenates
381-001 Old quarter of the city
381-002 Irish College c/ Fonseca, 2
381-003 Iglesia de San Marcos c/ Zamora - Plaza del Ejército
381-004 Iglesia de Sancti Spiritus Sancti Spiritus, 34
381-005 Convento de las Claras c/ de Santa Clara, 2 y 12; c/ del Lucero 2 y 18
381-006 Casa-Convento de Santa Teresa c/ Crespo Rascón, 19
381-007 Iglesia de San Juan de Barbalos Pl. San Juan Bautista, 2 - c/ Luis Sevillano, 2
381-008 Iglesia de San Cristobal Plaza de San Cristobal, 8

Sightseeing in the city, many of them within the «Old quarter», are:

Squares and public spaces

Religious buildings

University buildings

Palaces and palatial houses

Museums

Others

University

In 1218, Alfonso IX of León founded the University of Salamanca. Under the patronage of the learned Alfonso X, its wealth and reputation greatly increased (1252–1282), and its schools of canon law and civil law attracted students even from the Universities of Paris and Bologna. In the 16th century, the city's fortunes depended on those of the university. About the time Christopher Columbus was lecturing there on his discoveries, Hernán Cortés took classes at Salamanca, but returned home in 1501 at age 17, without completing his course of study. (About ten years later the conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado was born in Salamanca.)

It was scholars of the University such as Francisco de Vitoria who, heavily influenced by the Paris-based Scottish philosopher John Mair, helped design in 1512 the Laws of Burgos which established the right to life and liberty of the indigenous peoples of America.

Ignatius Loyola, while studying at Salamanca in 1527, was brought before an ecclesiastical commission on a charge of sympathy with the Illuminati, but escaped with an admonition. In the next generation St. John of the Cross studied at Salamanca and so did the poet and writer Mateo Aleman. Miguel de Unamuno was a prominent figure of the university in more modern times.

Many people continue to come from all parts of Spain to study at the University, and the students represent a significant percentage of the city's population (the University has 36,000 students, approximately). The support of the student population is one of the most important economic activities in the city. These young people (also consisting of international students studying the Spanish language) provide Salamanca with a highly active night life, specially when school is in session on both weekdays and weekends. Among the American universities that sponsor significant summer semester programs are Wake Forest University, Lamar University of Beaumont,Texas and Lamar State College of Port Arthur,Texas and the University of Georgia. This has led Salamanca to be in the top list of cities with the highest bar per inhabitant ratios in Europe, second to Bilbao .

Geography

The city lies on several hills by the Tormes River, which is crossed by a bridge 150 m long built on 26 arches, fifteen of which are of Roman origin, while the remainder date from the a 16th century reconstruction after a flood.

Climate

Salamanca's climate is Continental Mediterranean, with cold winters, and hot summers softened by the altitude and dryness throughout the year.

Climate data for Salamanca
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.0
(64.4)
22.5
(72.5)
24.7
(76.5)
29.8
(85.6)
34.7
(94.5)
37.0
(98.6)
39.8
(103.6)
39.6
(103.3)
37.5
(99.5)
30.6
(87.1)
24.5
(76.1)
18.5
(65.3)
39.8
(103.6)
Average high °C (°F) 7.9
(46.2)
10.8
(51.4)
14.0
(57.2)
15.7
(60.3)
19.7
(67.5)
25.2
(77.4)
29.3
(84.7)
28.7
(83.7)
24.5
(76.1)
18.2
(64.8)
12.4
(54.3)
8.8
(47.8)
17.9
(64.2)
Average low °C (°F) −0.7
(30.7)
0.3
(32.5)
1.4
(34.5)
3.5
(38.3)
7.0
(44.6)
10.5
(50.9)
12.8
(55.0)
12.4
(54.3)
9.0
(48.2)
6.1
(43.0)
2.2
(36.0)
0.7
(33.3)
5.5
(41.9)
Record low °C (°F) −13.4
(7.9)
−10.5
(13.1)
−8.2
(17.2)
−5
(23.0)
−1.4
(29.5)
3.0
(37.4)
5.8
(42.4)
4.5
(40.1)
1.4
(34.5)
−4.8
(23.4)
−7.6
(18.3)
−9.6
(14.7)
−13.4
(7.9)
Precipitation cm (inches) 3.1
(1.22)
2.7
(1.06)
2.2
(0.87)
3.9
(1.54)
4.8
(1.89)
3.4
(1.34)
1.6
(0.63)
1.1
(0.43)
3.2
(1.26)
3.9
(1.54)
4.2
(1.65)
4.2
(1.65)
43.6
(17.17)
Avg. precipitation days 6 6 5 7 8 5 3 2 4 7 7 7 66
Source: Agencia Española de Meteorología (1971-2000 climatology) [5]

Economy

The city's economy is dominated by the university and tourism, but other sectors including agriculture and livestock rearing along with construction and manufacturing are also significant. Not surprisingly, in December 2007 83% of the working population, equivalent to 55,838, were employed in the service sector.[6]

Agriculture and livestock rearing

The 125 agricultural sector businesses accounted for 839 workers in 2007, or just 1.24% of the working population.

Industry

Industrial activity accounted for 5% of the working population, or 3,340 workers employed over 360 businesses.[6] Two of the largest businesses, both of them numbered among the largest 100 enterprises in the region, are the veterinary vaccine manufacturer "Laboratorios Intervet", and the fertilizer specialist manufacturers S.A. Mirat, which is the city's oldest industrial company, having been established originally as a starch factory in 1812.[7]

Communications

Railroad

Renfe has trains to national destinations like Madrid, Barcelona, Valladolid, Zaragoza, while international destinations are Paris (via Irun), Porto and Lisbon

Road

Highways

Other roads

Airport

Salamanca Airport, located in the military base of Matacán, is located about 14 km east from the city. There are regular flights to Barcelona, Paris, and charter flights to Palma de Mallorca and the Canary Islands. In the summer there are also regular flights to Palma de Mallorca, Menorca, Gran Canaria, Málaga and Ibiza.

Public transport

There are 13 bus lines during the day and one night line. Also, a tram line has been projected.[8]

Culture and sports

Old City of Salamanca *
Country Spain
Type Cultural
Criteria i, ii, iv
Reference 381
Region ** Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription 1988 (12th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List
** Region as classified by UNESCO

In 2002 Salamanca shared the title of European Capital of Culture with Bruges. Salamanca is a popular tourist destination, especially in the summer. Tourism is the primary economic activity in the city.

Salamanca offers the amenities of a larger city while retaining an intimate small town atmosphere. Since 1923, "Los Charros", formally the Union Deportiva Salamanca, have been the Salamanca football team.

Salamanca was the setting for the 2008 political thriller Vantage Point, although the movie was almost exclusively filmed in Mexico.

The classic dish of the Salamancan, known as Charreria ("peasant lands"), is a cocido, a slow-cooked casserole including chickpeas.

A traditional Salmantinian celebration is the Lunes de Aguas, "Water Monday", the Monday after the Sunday following Easter. Originally this served to celebrate the official allowance of the authorities for the prostitutes to return to the city after Lent and Easter. All the shops close and Salmantinos picnic in the countryside to eat a kind of pie called "hornazo".

Twin towns — Sister cities

Salamanca is twinned with:


Gallery

See also

References

External links

Museums