SCENES from the IBERIAN PENINSULA

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Salamanca Index

01b Salamanca: The Cathedrals

The Cathedral of Salamanca is in fact two churches joined together. The original 'Old Cathedral dates from the 12th-13th centuries and then the 'New Cathedral' built on the same site from the 16th century, completed in the 18th century.

The Old Cathedral is in the Romanesque style of architecture with the outstanding Gallo Tower. Inside this first church, whose construction of which began at the end of the 12th century, is the San Martín (sometimes referred to as the 'Oil Chapel' because at one time oil was stored there). The splendid main reredos of the Old Cathedral dates from the 15th century and was articulated by several painters with Dello Delli at the head.

The mural paintings that cover the vault is the work of Nicolás Florentino. This great pictorial work shows the image of Christ at the Last Judgement. The Old Cathedral houses the beautifully decorated tombs of the bishops' and members of the nobility associated with Salamanca. The New Cathedral was  completed in the 18th century by Churriguera, and houses the image of the Virgin of the Assumption, carved in 1626 by the sculptor Esteban Rueda. The New Cathedral's Baroque retrochoir is very beautiful and contains beautiful Renaissance carved images e.g. of The Virgin of Loreto and those of Saint John the Baptist.
 

left The elaborate new dome on the old cathedral tower at the crossing, and on the right the splendid dome of the new Cathedral

CHECK

old

square in front of cathedrals

same square north of cathedrals

old

Left: west end of new cathedral and old tower, not the same doors

west door of old cathedral

Left: Entrances to the old Cathedral - Romanesque west door?

Right: west door to new Cathedral

details of carvings above the entrance to the old/new? cathedral. notes say new

spaceman

The interior of the old Salamanca Cathedral ()

Left: medieval wall paintings (fresco) west end of north aisle

Right: west end of aisle at start of nave

wall frescoes

Medieval tomb paintings of the fresco decorated tombs

medieval tomb in the south transept of Old Cathedral (Catedral Vieja de Santa Maria), Salamanca

columns near frescoes

tomb in cloister corner

Left: chapel

Right: In the cloister

cloister ?

looking east down nave to High Altar - apse old

top of the high altar painting apse

tomb of ?

?

near frescoes

apse on left

separate south chapel ?

The Museum in the old Cathedral

The interior of the new Salamanca Cathedral ()

triple nave?

Left: north aisle of nave or nave?

Right: organ

choir stalls

one side of choir exterior

nave

Left: Altar in one of the chapels

?

Left: High Altar at east end

Right: ?

west end ?

south aisle ?

?

?

Salamanca Index

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