Castile-Leon (Castilla y Leon in Spanish) is a region of Spain
composed of Leon with the provinces of Leon, Zamora and Salamanca,
and Castile with the provinces of Avila, Burgos, Palencia, Segovia,
Soria and Valladolid. It was formed by the union of two ancient
kingdoms: Old Castile and the Kingdom of Leon, which were separated
and reunited several times in the Middle Ages. It borders on
Asturias and Cantabria to the north, Aragon, the Basque Country,
and La Rioja to the east, the autonomous community of Madrid
and Castile-La Mancha to the southeast, Extremadura to the south,
and borders on Portugal and Galicia to the west. It is the largest
region in Spain with its capital Valladolid almost at its very
centre.
Salamanca is the capital of the province
of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. The
province of Salamanca is situated in the south-west corner of
Castile and Leon.
|
|
Salamanca is one of the most spectacular
Renaissance cities in Europe with cobbled streets and ornately
carved sandstone colleges and churches. It is probably best known
for having the oldest university in Spain and one of the oldest
in Europe. The city lies on a plateau by the Tormes river, which
is crossed by a bridge 500 ft long built on 26 arches, fifteen
of which are of Roman origin, while the remainder date from the
16th century. The Plaza Mayor, surrounded by shaded arcades (photo)
is one of the finest squares in Spain and a popular meeting place.
Salamanca is a city of golden sandstone with every major architectural
style from Romanesque to baroque. Salamanca's cathedral is an
example of "plateresque" style typical for Spain, marking
the transition from Gothic to Renaissance. Spaniards call this
cathedral "La Nueva", the new one, as the old cathedral
still exists at its side. A World Heritage Site, it was also
a European City of Culture in 2002. |