Today we had a full day excursion into Spain to visit the city of Salamanca. As well as being one of the oldest University cities in Europe, Salamanca is known as the golden city because of the sandstone that was used to construct most of the older buildings. This stone contains iron, as it ages and the iron oxidizes, it turns a golden colour.
We started with a walking tour of some of Plaza Mayor and the historic University buildings.
During lunch, just off Plaza Mayor, we were treated to a flamenco show.
After lunch we had free time to explore and Becky and I went inside the cathedral. Unlike most cities, Salamanca sort of has 2 cathedrals: an old one and a younger one, that are joined together. Basically, the town grew too large for the old cathedral, but rather than knocking it down and starting again, they just built the new cathedral onto the front of the old one. The contrast between the insides of the two is very marked.
Outside, part of the sandstone carving near the entrance had to be replaced in 1992 because of wear and tear. Instead of the usual leaves and animals, they chose to carve an astronaut.
I love the astronaut. I'm playing around in my head trying to guess what they intended to 'say' by including him or her.
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall that there is an astronaut in the ceiling of York Minster.
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