Salamanca, Spain - 13 April 2017; no people in view. Salamanca is an ancient city in northwestern Spain; it is also the capital of the province of Sal
Salamanca, Spain - 13 April 2017; no people in view. Salamanca is an ancient city in northwestern Spain; it is also the capital of the province of Salamanca in Castile and Leon. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Founded in pre-Roman times over 2000 years ago, it now houses one of SpainÕs most important universities, as well as many distinguished churches, places of pilgrimage, convents and historic buildings. SalamancaÕs House of Shells - Casa de las Conchas - is a historical building in Salamanca, currently housing a public library. It was built from 1493 to 1517 by Rodrigo Arias de Maldonado, a knight of the Order of Santiago de Compostela and a professor in the University of Salamanca. Its most noteworthy architectural feature is its singular faade, decorated with more than 300 shells; these are symbol of the order of Santiago, as well as of pilgrimage. Unfortunately, the shells are not currently visible, due to renovation of its glorious faade. But here is an equally stunning view from the house courtyard of the neighbouring Pontifical University of Salamanca, constructed by and for the Jesuits, and viewed from its Inner Court.
Size: 5185px × 3888px
Location:
Photo credit: © Jon Bower / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -, architecture, balcony, baroque, bell, carving, castile, catholicism, christianity, church, cloud, college, colonnade, column, courtyard, gothic, house, jesuit, leon, library, material, papal, pilgrimage, place, pontifical, prayer, romanesque, row, salamanca, shadow, shell, shells, sky, spain, spire, stone, style, tower, university, veranda, worship
