NEW CATHEDRAL

Anaya Square.
Every day: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Free admission.

NEW CATHEDRAL
The New Cathedral is one of the two cathedrals in Salamanca. The idea of building it arose when the currently known Old Cathedral became too small due to the city's growth from university activity in the early 16th century. Assistance was requested from the Catholic Monarchs for its construction.

Construction began in 1512 based on a design by Gil de Ontañón and was completed in 1733. This cathedral was one of the last manifestations of Spanish Gothic architecture.
Although the original idea was to demolish the Old Cathedral, the lengthy duration of the works, which lasted over two centuries, resulted in it being left standing to allow for continued worship while the new temple was erected.
Its interior is surprising due to its magnitude, the slenderness of its columns supporting the Gothic vault, the harmonious perspective of the spaces, the luminosity, and the balance among the different architectural influences present. It is also notable for the decoration of the cornices that encircle the interior of the Cathedral.

The exterior leaves a great impression when viewed from Anaya Square due to its lavish Gothic decoration and the beautiful color of the Villamayor stone.

The decoration of the chapels is sparse, except in the Golden Chapel. The baroque transept, the baroque dome, the organs from the 16th and 17th centuries, and the Christ of the Battles, in Romanesque style and known as that of the Cid Campeador, are particularly striking.

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