Salamanca

Salamanca is a city in western Spain, not too far from the border with Portugal. The old city here has been recognized by UNESCO since 1988. Salamanca is perhaps best known as a university town. The university was founded in 1218, making it the 4th oldest in Europe, after Bologna, Oxford and Cambridge.
The main square is called the Plaza Mayor as in most Spanish cities. The 1st picture is of the Plaza Mayor lit for the night. The plaza isn't fully visible because the annual book fair is filling the space.
The city's history predates the Romans, but its importance began to grow with the Roman presence. The 2nd picture is the Roman bridge dating to the 1st century CE. 2,000 years and still in use. A major Roman road crosses here and passes through town.
The 3rd picture is the Casa de los Conchas. Today it's the city library, but it was a private residence. Notice the scallops shells on the walls. The original owner was devoted to Santiago, and the scallop is his symbol. It is also the symbol of pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. One of the numerous routes of the Camino passes by here. The 4th picture is the central courtyard of the house/library, still in it's original form.
The 5th picture is in the nave of the Romanesque church of St. Martin, dating to the 12th century. The church forms part of one side of the Plaza Mayor.
The next 3 pictures of of the University of Salamanca. The university is spread throughout the city with schools, such as medicine that need modern facilities located the the new city. These pictures are a couple images of the oldest part of the university.
The last 2 pictures are of what was the Jesuit church and school. The 9th picture is the entrance to the church that is mostly a museum today. The last picture looks beyond that entrance to the main building of what today is the Pontifical University, a private university here. It was originally built as the school for Jesuit missionaries to the Americas. It was also a very important and influential center for theological thought at the time.Read more