Old Cathedral of Salamanca

About this place

Construction began in the 12th century and continued through the medieval period, combining Romanesque and Gothic forms. The cathedral preserves an older chapter of Salamanca beside its later neighbour. Notice how the building's scale and architectural details differ from the New Cathedral. Building continued into the late 14th century, so the cathedral records changes within medieval architecture rather than one short campaign. Its survival beside the later cathedral allows a particularly useful comparison. Pay attention to the proportions and treatment of the openings to see how builders approached sacred space differently over time.