Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain

🇪🇸 Salamanca is a city situated in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.

It is one of the most important university cities in Spain and supplies 16% of Spain's market for the teaching of the Spanish language. Salamanca attracts thousands of international students.

The University of Salamanca, founded in 1218, is the oldest university in Spain and the third oldest western university. Pope Alexander IV gave universal validity to its degrees. With 30,000 students, the university is, together with tourism, a primary source of income in Salamanca. It is on the Via de la Plata path of the Camino de Santiago.

It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the Meseta Norte, in the north-western quadrant of the Iberian Peninsula. It has a population of 144,436 registered inhabitants (INE 2017). Its stable functional area reaches 203,999 citizens, which makes it the second most populated in the autonomous community, after Valladolid. Salamanca is known for its large number of remarkable Plateresque-style buildings.

The origins of the city date back to about 2700 years ago, during the first Iron Age, when the first settlers of the city settled on the San Vicente hill, on the banks of the Tormes. Since then, the metropolis has witnessed the passage of various peoples: Vaccaei, Vettones, Romans, Visigoths and Muslims. Raymond of Burgundy, son-in-law of King Alfonso VI of León, was in charge of repopulating the city during the Middle Ages and laying the foundations of modern-day Salamanca.

Salamanca is home to the oldest active university in Spain, the University of Salamanca, founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of León on the germ of its studium generale, and which was the first in Europe to hold the title of university by royal decree of Alfonso X of Castile dated November 9, 1252 and by the licentia ubique docendi of Pope Alexander IV of 1255. During the time when it was one of the most prestigious universities in the West, the phrase Quod natura non dat, Salmantica non præstat, What nature does not give, Salamanca does not lend, became popular. Salamanca is linked to universal history by names such as Antonio de Nebrija, Christopher Columbus, Fernando de Rojas, Francisco de Vitoria and the School of Salamanca, friar Luis de León, Beatriz Galindo and Miguel de Unamuno.

In 1988, the Old City of Salamanca was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It has an important historical-architectural heritage, among which stand out its two cathedrals - the Old cathedral and the New cathedral, the Casa de las Conchas, the Plaza Mayor, the Convento de San Esteban and the Escuelas Mayores. Since 2003, Holy Week in Salamanca has been declared of international tourist interest.

Salamanca is home to important scientific institutions and research centres, such as the Cancer Research Center, the Institute of Neurosciences of Castile and León, the Center for Water Research and Technological Development and the Ultra-Short Ultra-Intense Pulsed Laser Center. The city and its metropolitan area, host some of the largest companies, by turnover, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. In addition, it is considered to be a world reference in the teaching of Spanish language, since it concentrates 78% of the existing offer in its autonomous community, which represents 16% of the national market.

Education: University The University of Salamanca was founded in 1134 and in 1218 it was given the royal charter of foundation ("Estudio General") by Alfonso IX of León. It was the first university to receive the title of "University" in 1254. Under the patronage of the learned Alfonso X, its wealth and reputation greatly increased (1252–1282), and its schools of canon law and civil law attracted students even from the Universities of Paris and Bologna. In the 16th century, the city's fortunes depended on those of the University. About the time Christopher Columbus was lecturing there on his discoveries, Hernán Cortés took classes at Salamanca, but returned home in 1501 at age 17, without completing his course of study. (About ten years later the conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado was born in Salamanca.)

Economy The city's economy is dominated by the university and tourism, but other sectors including agriculture and livestock rearing along with construction and manufacturing are also significant. Not surprisingly, in December 2007 83% of the working population, equivalent to 55,838, were employed in the service sector.

Economy: Industry Industrial activity accounted for 5% of the working population, or 3,340 workers employed over 360 businesses. Two of the largest businesses, both of them numbered among the largest 100 enterprises in the region, are the veterinary vaccine manufacturer "Laboratorios Intervet", and the fertilizer specialist manufacturers S.A. Mirat, which is the city's oldest industrial company, having been established originally as a starch factory in 1812.

Transport: Road Highways • A50: Autovía de la Cultura: Ávila - Salamanca • A62: Autovía de Castilla: Burgos - Valladolid - Salamanca - Ciudad Rodrigo. • A66: Autovía Ruta de la Plata: Gijón - Oviedo - Mieres - Puerto de Pajares - León - Benavente - Zamora - Salamanca - Béjar - Plasencia - Mérida - Sevilla. • SA-11: North access to Salamanca. • SA-20: South access to Salamanca; Other roads • N-501: Ávila - Peñaranda de Bracamonte - Salamanca. • N-620: Burgos - Venta de Baños - Valladolid - Tordesillas - Salamanca - Ciudad Rodrigo - Portugal.

Transport: Air Salamanca Airport, located in the military base of Matacán, is located about 14 km (9 mi) east of the city.

Transport: Public There are 13 bus lines during the day and two night lines. Also, a tram line has been proposed.