University of Salamanca

The University of Salamanca is the oldest university in Spain still in operation, and among Europe’s oldest. It grew out of the cathedral school and was formally founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX of León, and in 1254 it received a charter from Alfonso X, which gave it a standing comparable to Oxford, Bologna and the University of Paris. Great scholars taught here over the centuries, among them the poet and theologian Fray Luis de León in the sixteenth century and the writer Miguel de Unamuno, who served as rector in the early twentieth century. Salamanca’s old city, with its golden sandstone, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

The façade of the Escuelas Mayores, built in the early sixteenth century, is a famous example of Plateresque architecture, a Spanish style named for its resemblance to silversmith work. The stone is carved with medallions, coats of arms and figures, and at the centre are portraits of the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, who supported the university. Among the carvings, many visitors search for a small frog perched on a skull, hidden among the decoration. According to tradition, students who find it without help will pass their exams, and that has made it the subject of countless photographs.

Inside the Patio de Escuelas Mayores, the visit leads to the old lecture halls. Rooms such as the classroom of Fray Luis de León preserve wooden benches, a lectern and a sense of how teaching used to work. A statue of Fray Luis stands in the courtyard in front of the building, and a well-known story says that when he returned to teach after several years in prison, held by the Inquisition, he began by saying: as we were saying yesterday. Whether or not the words were exactly those, the anecdote is part of the university’s identity. The Escuelas Menores, the smaller courtyard, has traditional arches and a central well, and it gives a different atmosphere from the grand main building.

The historic library is one of the highlights. It holds manuscripts and early printed books, including medieval volumes and works from the first decades of printing, in a Gothic hall with high shelves. Guided tours are offered and help explain the carvings, the lecture halls and the university’s long history, and they are available in small groups or private sessions. Visits take around two hours.

The university is in the centre of Salamanca, close to the Casa de las Conchas, the Old and New Cathedrals and the Convento de San Esteban. The Puente Romano, the old Roman bridge, lies a short walk to the south, and the neighbourhood is full of students and bookshops. Opening hours and tickets vary, so check the official site before going.