The city
The city of Salamanca, in northwestern Spain, is the capital of the province of Salamanca, one of the nine provinces that make up the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León. It has a population of 144,825 inhabitants in the capital and 327,338 in the province, making it the fourth most populated province in the Community.
Its history dates back to about 2,700 years ago, during the first Iron Age, when the first settlers of the city settled on the hill of San Vicente, on the banks of the Tormes River. Since then, the city has witnessed the passage of various peoples: Vacceans, Vetons, Romans, Visigoths, and Muslims. Raymond of Burgundy, the 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 present-day Salamanca. Known for its ornamental sandstone architecture and for the University of Salamanca, founded in the 12th century, which was a key intellectual center in the 15th and 16th centuries. The university continues to add to the vitality of the city with its international student population.
Salamanca has an enormous cultural and architectural heritage and in 1988 was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Its two cathedrals -La Vieja and La Nueva-, the Casa de las Conchas, the Plaza Mayor, the Convent of San Esteban, and the Escuelas Mayores, are among the most recognized.
A lively and diverse city, it is also home to important scientific institutions and research centers, such as the Cancer Research Center, the Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León, and many others.