Old Cathedral of Salamanca

It began to be built on the initiative of its first bishop, Jerome of Périgord (died in 1120) after the restoration of the diocese of Salamanca by King Alfonso VI of León, and after the repopulation of the city carried out by his son-in-law Raymond of Burgundy.

It was on the verge of being destroyed in the Early Modern Age, since when the New Cathedral was planned, it was thought to be demolished, but the long period of time that elapsed from the beginning of the works of the New Cathedral (around 1520) and the late date of completion (around 1733), as well as the need of a space where to celebrate the cult while the construction was finished, made that the initial decision to demolish it was abandoned.

In this sense, in plan, the left nave appears narrower and part of the transept arm is missing, as a consequence of the construction of the New Cathedral.

Given the frontier character of Salamanca, it was also designed as a fortress, a quality now not so visible, since the battlements of the Mocha Tower have disappeared and the roof of the nave, formerly a walkable terrace, has been replaced by another of Spanish tile.

The most outstanding element of the monument is the considerable dome that rises over the transept supported by four impressive pendentives, and whose date of construction should be placed around 1150.

It rests on a drum with sixteen columns in the interior, lightened by 32 windows, 16 nerves cross meeting in the central part of the dome.

The new doorway, shortly after being built, was partially covered, on the left side, by the stone slope that had to be made to reinforce the bell tower after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

The apse houses a large cycle of 53 tableaux, 12 of which by the 15th-century Italian artist Dello Delli, depicting the life of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

Finally, the third brother Nicolò Delli, better known as Niccolò Florentino, made some of the last panels of the work and the painting of the Last Judgment that is in the shell of the apse of the cathedral.

The Last Judgment is represented in the apse shell, where Jesus Christ appears walking threateningly to separate the good from the bad.

To the right of Christ appears the saved, dressed in white, to his left the condemned, naked and seeming to walk towards the mouth of a giant monster.

It must be dated in the 12th century, follows Byzantine models, immobile, holds on his knees the child, showing it to the spectator with his right hand.

Just before entering the chapel and discovered a short time ago, there is a large painting on the wall of the temple where Saint Martin is sharing his cloak.

The most interesting thing that has this chapel are some paintings adorned with coats of arms of the kingdoms of León and Castile, some of which appear dated in the year 1262 and have as author to Antón Sánchez de Segovia, located in the back wall with images of Jeremiah, Isaiah and Daniel above and St. Joachim and St. Anne below, all of them under feigned architectural arches.

There are also several tombs in the chapel, including that of Bishop Rodrigo Díaz, who died in 1339, and is decorated with paintings from the same period and scenes from the Adoration of the Magi.

On Wednesday, February 26, 2020, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Javier Ortega, and the Bishop of Salamanca, Carlos López unveiled the works carried out in recent months in the restoration of this chapel.

The second of the rooms is covered with a rich coffered ceiling in Mudéjar style with Renaissance ornamentation, which was made by the carpenter Pedro Nieto.

It was also the seat of medieval compostelan synods, a place of celebration for the meals of grace and a singing chapel where music was taught in one of the main chairs of the Spanish universities, which is why it houses the tomb of master Doyagüe.

With the restructuring of the Cathedral Museum in the Chapter Rooms, the space was freed for its comprehensive restoration in 2018, after which it has added to its heritage character the use as a hall for holding cultural activities such as conferences and concerts.

It is a house of the 16th century attached to the Chapel of Santa Catalina with door to the calle Gibraltar, in front of the Casa Lis.

It has been possible to integrate it into the touristic tour of the Cathedrals, housing the rest room, toilets, souvenir store and exit of the building.