Avila

After leaving Salamanca we traveled to Avila, the birthplace of the Spanish mystic Santa Teresa de Jesús. The city is surrounded by an amazing medieval wall.

Interestingly, the apse of the city's Cathedral forms part of the outer wall.

(Apse of Cathedral, part of wall)

(Front of Cathedral)

Santa Teresa de Jesús, her life and her writings are the centerpiece of the city. The Convento de la Encarnación is located just outside the walls of the city and is where the Saint began her life as a member of the Carmelite order.

Later on she would begin a reformation of the order and in the process establish nineteen convents throughout Spain. Her writings are some of the most interesting and enlightening with regard to her belief in the contemplative spirit and communication with God. Though criticized by many of her contemporaries, she was beatified and then given sainthood some sixty years after her death. She is now considered to be one of the "doctors" of the Church and was immortalized by Bernini with a statue entitled the "Ecstasy of St. Teresa" found in the Vatican.

One of the things that I have neglected, and apologize for it, has been to ignore the fact that right now Spain has been getting so much rain that the flowers are blooming everywhere. Here are some examples:

Oops, this isn't nature! What are these two doing romping through nature with flowers in hand and mouth?

Salamanca: Monasterio de San Esteban and other sites

While in Salamanca the students visited a number of interesting sites, including the Convent of Santa Clara, with its beautifully painted Mudejar ceiling, the Universidad de Salamanca, and the Monasterio de San Esteban. It is on the latter of these places that I would like to focus.

San Estaban offers the visitor a number of beautiful architectural wonders. First, the main portico is considered to be one of the best examples of plateresque art. You will notice the excessive detailing and use of space that makes for a harmonic design.

However, the real treasure (in my opinion) is the staircase that leads from the lower cloister to the upper. First, the weight of the entire staircase rests on the first flight of stairs. The other two flights are attached at the sides. You will notice that the construction is "arched." The combination creates an interesting illusion.

At the top of the first flight of stairs you find the following description of the staircase:

Sitting solidly on the earth, the staircase, of imposing stone, rises flight by flight towards the windows of light that culminate in the upper cloister.

The movement upwards symbolizes our effort to conquer understanding.

Time, patience, prayer and study.

Resting at the end of the staircase, the polychromatic figure of the Magdalen, looking toward the light with an open book in her hand.

The monastery offers a peaceful place for contemplation.

The monastery is also home to an excellent example of Baroque design found in the main altar of the church. Notice that the columns are typical of the period being imitations of the Bernini style (like those found in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome).

Other places that were visited are:

The Casa de las Conchas:

and Spain's oldest University, founded in the 13th Century:

Salamanca and its Twin Cathedrals

Day two of our trip was to Salamanca and Avila. The next few posts will look at these two cities and their most important landmarks.

Salamanca is one of the most interesting cities in Spain with its 13th-century University, twin Cathedral, stories of Lazarillo de Tormes, Felix de Montemar (the Student of Salamanca) and the many writers who made Salamanca their home (e.g., Jovellanos, Meléndez Valdes, Miguel de Unamuno). The city is most beautiful at sunrise and sunset when the golden color of the buildings are at their best.

The Old and New Cathedrals: Salamanca is the home of the only double Cathedral in the world. The Old Cathedral was begun in the 12th century and completed in the 13th. The chimborio of the Cathedral is the Tower of the Rooster with its unique weathervane (seen below).

Inside the Old Cathedral is a beautiful altar composed of 53 scenes from the life of Christ. Above the paintings is a representation of the Final Judgment with the wicked writhing in pain and the righteous praising the Triumphant Christ.

There are also some interesting crypts. This one shows the dead person lying on the a slab while mourners sob and cry, expressing their sadness. Just above the body of the deceased is a miniature of her with two angels carrying her to heaven.

Built alongside and sharing a wall is the New Cathedral which was completed in 1513. This gothic construction is a stark contrast to the simpler Romanesque design of the Old Cathedral. 

The entrance to the New Cathedral is an excellent example of plateresque art and is especially dramatic when the angle of the sun is just right.

With its huge buttresses and towering ceilings, the New Cathedral is a dramatic presence in Salamanca.

The photo below shows the difference in height between the Old Cathedral (the lower tower in the foreground) and the New Cathedral (the tower in the center, background).

The New Cathedral also offers the visitor an amazing center dome with the center piece being a representation of the Holy Ghost in the form of a Dove.

One of the unusual elements of the New Cathedral was a restoration that was done on one of the portals. Like sculptors and artisans of the past, the contemporary architects added their own unique characteristics in the renovation. Look carefully and you will find an astronaut and a monkey-like gargoyle with an ice cream cone!

For more information see the Cathedral's Official Website at: http://www.catedralsalamanca.org/

Tordesillas and Toro

The first leg of our trip to the Northwest was to Tordesillas and Toro. The first of the two cities is well-known as the place where the Treaty of Tordesillas was signed thereby establishing a line of demarcation for Spain and Portugal in their exploration of the high seas. With this treaty Spain gained a large portion of present-day Latin America. We visited the Convent of the Santas Claras where the daughter of Isabel and Fernando, Juana la Loca lived and died. She was also buried in the convent. Nineteen years after her death Felipe II had her body moved to Granada where it is buried in the Royal Crypt along with her husband, Felipe el Hermoso, and her parents.

Next to the Iglesia de San Antolín . . .

. . . you will find the Casa del Tratado. It is here that the Catholic Kings, Isabel and Ferdinand signed the Treaty of Tordesillas.

After our short visit to Tordesillas we traveled to Toro. Here we visited the Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor. 

The church is famous for the Portada de la Majestad (an entrance to the Church) which is still polychromatic (multicolored). Work began on the church in 1160 and was concluded in 1240. According to the guide at the Church a small chapel was added enclosing the door and protecting it from the elements. Today the door is an amazing example of the beauty that worshipers would have encountered as they approached the church (photo taken from http://www.lafronteradelduero.com/Paginas/colegiata_toro.html). Photos are not allowed of the facade.

Inside the church are four statues located on columns at the far end of the nave near the Portada de la Majestad. Two of particular interest are those located closest the doors. One is of a pregnant Virgin Mary. Below her feet is a representation of the Fall of Adam and Eve.

Opposite the Virgin Mary is a statue of the Angel Gabriel. He turns his head toward Mary as she turns towards him, each caught in a secret communication. One can almost hear the "Hail Mary, full of grace . . ." associated with the Annunciation. At his feet is a representation of the creation of Adam and Eve, with Eve coming literally from Adams rib. 

The upper statues remind the visitor of Mary's divine role as the mother of Christ while the podium on which they rest remind the viewer of the importance of the forthcoming birth of the Savior. It is a wonderful juxtaposing of two stories tied together by the Fall and the Redemption.