The University of Salamanca

C/ Libreros.
Monday to Friday: 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM.
Saturdays: 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Sundays and Holidays: 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
Entry:
- 4 €.
- 2 €: retirees/students/groups of 20 or more.
- Free: Monday mornings and children under 12 years old.
Access is limited during academic events.
Ticket sales are suspended half an hour before closing.

The University of Salamanca was founded by Alfonso IX in 1218 and is the oldest of the existing Hispanic universities.

The façade, carved in stone as if it were jewelry, has indescribable qualities due to the variety and beauty of the decoration, the abundance and interest of the symbols present, mainly the frog on the skull.
It has three sections centered on shields dedicated to the Catholic Monarchs, the imperial shield of Charles V, and the Papacy.

In addition to the façade of the University, one can admire in the Patio de Escuelas, the name given to the kind of square where the building is located, the façade of the Hospital del Estudio, 15th century, now the Rectorate, which is topped by a fantastic Renaissance cresting. In the center stands a stately statue of Fray Luis de León, who was one of the most distinguished professors that the institution has had.

Inside the University, and around a courtyard with a monastic structure, are the classrooms, in whose doors one can see plaques indicating the disciplines taught there. The Aula de Fray Luis de León, 16th century, the Paraninfo with the banner of Prince Juan, and the Chapel, 18th century, with a simple but elegant altarpiece and 17th-century organ, stand out.

The staircase leading to the upper floor is a gem of the Renaissance, highlighting on the upper floor the Mudejar coffered ceiling, the Gothic door, and an interesting Gothic grill that provides access to the 18th-century library with a baroque book collection, containing about 40,000 copies from before the 19th century.

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