IERONIMUS VIEWPOINT

After the reconquest of Toledo, Alfonso VI promoted the repopulation of the territories south of the Duero, including Salamanca. The task was entrusted to Count Raymond of Burgundy and Doña Urraca, who completed the process in 1102 and appointed Jerónimo de Perigord, former chaplain of El Cid, as bishop.

During the Middle Ages, the Old Cathedral, surrounded by battlements, was known as Fortis Salmanticensis due to its defensive appearance. Its western facade included two towers: the Bell Tower and the Mocha Tower, the latter used as a dungeon until 1614 and later as access and housing for the cathedral staff, including the bell ringers, who lived there until the 1960s.

From the beginning of the 18th century, the bell tower underwent successive reforms. After the fire caused in 1705 by a lightning strike on the Bell Tower, master Pantaleón Pontón Setién added the baroque finial that today constitutes the upper body of the tower. The overweight of this structure, which doubled the original height, caused the appearance of large cracks. The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 further aggravated its condition, to the point of threatening ruin. Subsequent repairs included the placement of iron bands on the outer perimeter of the Romanesque shaft, wooden braces in the interior rooms —taking advantage of the spaces of walled-up windows— and a reinforcement of the shaft by means of a smooth ashlar lining with a sloping profile that, from a new foundation, reached the cornice where the upper finial began. Since then, every October 31st, Salamanca remembers that no one died in the city during the aforementioned earthquake, with the ascension of the Mariquelo to the top of the bell tower.

The declaration of the Cathedral as a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1887 paved the way for the first modern restorations. The current tour of the towers began between 1998 and 2001, with the rehabilitation of the Mocha Tower and the Bell Tower within the Master Plan for the Restoration of the Cathedrals of Salamanca.. In 2002, coinciding with the 900th anniversary of the refounding of Salamanca, these spaces were opened to the public under the name of Ieronimus, in homage to the first bishop of the restored Diocese.

Since then, Ieronimus has consolidated its position as one of the city's great tourist attractions, continuously expanding its visitable spaces and renewing its exhibition content. As a result of the collaboration with the Salamanca City Council, in 2013 - coinciding with the centenary of the start of the construction of the New Cathedral - two new spaces in the Bell Tower were opened to the public: the Clock Room and the bell chamber.

In 2025, Ieronimus became part of the newly created Salamanca Viewpoints Route. It is the most prominent viewpoint in the city, an authentic watchtower from which not only the urban center can be contemplated, but also a wide horizon that reaches as far as the southern mountain ranges of the province.

TOUR Inside Ieronimus, there are several viewpoints, both interior and exterior. The interior viewpoints allow contemplation of the two cathedral temples from privileged “balconies”, while the exterior ones offer multiple perspectives of the city and the temples themselves from an unusual proximity for the visitor.

Throughout the tour, several exterior viewpoints are accessed: the Mocha Tower terrace, the Gallo Tower platform with views of Patio Chico, the Anaya terrace, and the upper platform of the New Cathedral and the Bell Tower.

MOCHA TOWER TERRACE Despite its name, this tower was never truncated. In fact, it was originally lower, until a superior body was added in the 18th century, giving it its current height.

The exit to the Mocha Tower Terrace, located at the foot of the Bell Tower, offers a privileged view of the Cathedral Complex. From here we see the crenellated roofs of the Old Cathedral —which remind us of the defensive character of the Old Cathedral— and, above all, it allows us to enjoy the landscape that opens before us.

To the left, the naves and the imposing dome of the New Cathedral are observed. Beneath it stands the Gallo Tower, an oriental-inspired dome considered one of the jewels of Spanish medieval art. In front of us stands the Cloister of the Old Cathedral, Salamanca's first university building, notably featuring the Chapel of Santa Bárbara, where the University's degree exams were held.

Upstream of the Tormes, the Felipe VI Bridge is distinguished and, next to it, the old Convent of the Virgen de la Vega —today Sánchez Fabrés Foundation— from which the image of the Virgen de la Vega, patron saint of Salamanca, currently located in the altarpiece of the Old Cathedral, originates. The Enrique Estevan Bridge, inaugurated in 1913, was the city's second bridge and constitutes an interesting work of iron architecture. On the opposite bank stand the towers of the New Church of the Holy Trinity of Arrabal and the Parador de Turismo building; on the left bank, the Church of Santiago and the Roman Bridge.

WARDEN'S ROOM AND OLD CATHEDRAL. This room is located above the entrance hall of the Old Cathedral. From a mullioned window, situated at the height of the vaults, the entire central nave of the temple is visible. In the background, the main chapel is distinguished, presided over by the splendid altarpiece by the Delli brothers and the fresco of the Last Judgment by Nicolás Florentino, two masterpieces of late medieval art from the 15th century. A screen located in the room allows us to appreciate in detail the different panels of the altarpiece and other elements difficult to observe from the ground.

GALLO TOWER PLATFORM AND PATIO CHICO Before entering the New Cathedral, a walkway leads up to the height of the Gallo Tower, from where it is possible to contemplate all its details up close. From this point, a balcony also offers a magnificent view of the Patio Chico.

NEW CATHEDRAL INTERIOR PLATFORM As one progresses, the visitor accesses the platform that surrounds the New Cathedral at the height where the vaults begin. This elevated corridor, inspired by ancient medieval triforiums, allows for a close appreciation of the temple's complex late Gothic architecture. From here, the grandeur of the building is contemplated in its full magnitude: its three naves with side chapels and the magnificent star vaults designed by Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón. The large Renaissance windows flood the space with light filtered by the stained glass, depicting biblical scenes and figures of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles.

From the center of the balustrade, one enjoys a privileged view of the majestic Churriguera choir, with its finely carved walnut stalls, flanked by two organs—one Renaissance and one Baroque—. The Main Chapel is presided over by the image of the Virgin of the Assumption, accompanied by imposing sculptures representing the Fathers of the Eastern and Western Church. Above the altar, two large silver urns guard the relics of Saint John of Sahagún, patron saint of Salamanca, and Saint Thomas of Villanueva.

ANAYA TERRACE From this terrace, one of the most complete and impressive panoramic views of Salamanca unfolds. To the west rises the hill of San Vicente, the historical origin of the city. At our feet stands the Historic University Building, crowned by the belfry of its chapel, and in the background, the Colegio Mayor del Arzobispo Fonseca, one of the old Major Colleges linked to the University of Salamanca, is distinguished.

Standing out among the monumental complex is the imposing silhouette of the Church of La Clerecía and the Pontifical University, which occupy the old Royal College of the Society of Jesus. To the north, Rúa Mayor opens, the main axis of the historic city, leading to the Church of San Martín. Behind it rises the belfry of the City Hall, indicating the location of the Plaza Mayor.

At the visitor's feet extends Anaya Square, laid out in 1811 during the French occupation of the city. In it are the Church of San Sebastián and the old Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé or de Anaya. To the east, the Convent of Las Dueñas and the Convent of San Esteban stand out, two essential references of Salamanca's heritage.

In front of us rises the majestic silhouette of the New Cathedral. Its three stepped naves, supported by buttresses, flying buttresses, and pinnacles, offer a true lesson in late Gothic architecture.

BELL CHAMBER This room belongs to the upper body of the tower, added in the 18th century. The current bell tower houses fourteen bells, including the largest and most emblematic in Salamanca: the great bell, known as «María de la O». From this point, the highest in the city, a complete panoramic view towards the four cardinal points is obtained. As a majestic backdrop, to the south of the province, we see the Sierra de Béjar.