If you ask any college student to name a city in Spain, chances are that he would answer Salamanca. So great is the reputation of the Univeristy of Salamanca that people from all over the world travel to this lovely city in Western Spain to study. Who wouldn't want to attend a university whose alumni include Hernan Cortes, Miguel de Cervantes and Ignatius Loyola? Luckily for those of us whose studying days are over, Salamanca has so much more to offer.

This ancient city, founded by Celtic tribes, has a very colorful and consistant presence in the annals of history. Since the 3rd century B.C., when Hannibal laid siege to the city, Salamanca has endured a precarious position in the middle of the Iberian peninsula. It served as a dividing line between the Christian North and the Muslim South for centuries. Both of these cultures left their very distinctive fingerprints on the arts, religion and food of the people of this region.

Salamanca not only feeds the mind through its institute of higher learning, but it is also a feast for the eyes. Its beautiful Renaissance buildings built of locally quarried sandstone, seem to glimmer in the sunshine. This distinction has earned it the moniker "The Golden City". The Plaza Mayor standing in the old city center is one of the finest in all of Europe. Likewise the Romanesque Cathedral built in the 12th century, features a large dome, and is very reminiscent of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The presence of such a wealth of architectural treasures is one of the reasons that this city was awarded the honor of a Unesco World Heritage Site.



The Univeristy of Salamanca shines not only as an academic inspiration but likewise contributes to the architectural splendor of the city. Built by Alfonso IX in 1218, it has been considered one of the most prestigious univeristies in Europe since that time. Students and tourists alike should wander the halls where Christopher Columbus once lectured.

Just as she was once a dividing line between Muslims and Christians, the Salamanca of today is a fascinating dichotomy of antiquity and vitality. She continues to draw the best from both worlds and provide us with the experience of a lifetime.

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