Old Cathedral of Salamanca (Catedral Vieja)

The Old Cathedral of Salamanca, the Catedral Vieja, is the original cathedral of the city and one of the finest Romanesque churches in Spain, with Gothic additions as the work carried on. Construction began in the twelfth century and continued into the thirteenth, and the church is dedicated to Santa María de la Sede. It is a compact building compared with its giant neighbour, the New Cathedral, which was built against it in the sixteenth century and now surrounds it on one side. The result is a pair of cathedrals joined together, so a single visit takes you through several centuries of architecture.

The most distinctive feature of the Old Cathedral is the lantern tower over the crossing, the Torre del Gallo, the Cock Tower. It is covered with scale-like stone tiles and ringed by turrets, with a Byzantine and Eastern flavour that is rare in Spanish cathedrals, and it looks very different from other church domes in Spain. Inside, the nave is low and shadowy, with thick walls and rounded arches that give the space a quiet, protective character. The pointed arches and vaults of the later phase add a hint of Gothic lightness.

The main altarpiece is a highlight. It was painted in the fifteenth century by Florentine artists, among them Nicolás Florentino and his brother, known as the Delli brothers, and it is organised in many small panels showing scenes from the lives of Christ and the Virgin. At the centre stands the Virgen de la Vega, a small Romanesque statue in a gilded setting, the patron saint of Salamanca. Several chapels hold painted tombs, including the Anaya chapel with its Gothic tomb, and the Chapel of Santa Bárbara was used in the past for examination ceremonies of the university's doctors.

The cloister, rebuilt after an earthquake in the eighteenth century, gives access to side chapels and a small museum. The route also allows a climb up through the towers, with galleries and terraces that give close views of the lantern and of the roofs of the two cathedrals, along with long views over the old town and the Tormes river. Audio guides in several languages explain the history, and the complex also offers multimedia displays.

It suits history and architecture lovers, and combines naturally with the University of Salamanca, the Casa de las Conchas and the Convento de San Esteban, all within a short walk. Check current opening times and ticket options before you go, especially around Holy Week.