ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SAN VICENTE HILL

The Cerro de San Vicente is an exceptional enclave for understanding the origins of Salamanca and the historical evolution of the territory. Its discovery in 1949, during the construction works of the University College Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, marked the beginning of a long trajectory of archaeological investigations that continues to this day. Systematic excavations undertaken in 1990 confirmed the existence of a First Iron Age settlement associated with the Soto de Medinilla culture, which placed the hill on the map of key sites in the middle Duero valley. The approval of the Special Plan for Cerro de San Vicente in 1997 was a decisive milestone: it allowed for the protection of the site, the acquisition of the land where the site is located, the demolition of the old school that occupied the top of the hill, and the continuation of archaeological campaigns. Added to this was the execution of the Project for the Protection Works of the Remains of the Layout of the Old Convent of San Vicente, which involved the construction of a museographic space over the remains of the Benedictine convent, reinforcing the project's educational vocation, which today includes guided tours and a renovated interpretation center.

The protohistoric settlement, occupied between the 8th and 4th centuries BC, was strategically located on the Tormes, dominating a river ford and controlling a vast territory. Its position in the natural corridor connecting the peninsular south with the Northern Meseta —the future Vía de la Plata— favored economic and cultural exchanges from very early times. The settlement, covering about two hectares and home to around 250 inhabitants at its peak, was protected by a natural escarpment and a defensive wall in its most vulnerable sector. Excavations have unearthed circular adobe dwellings organized around a street, along with auxiliary structures intended for food and tool storage. The superposition of constructions and the thickness of the archaeological strata reflect a stable and prolonged occupation throughout the approximately four hundred years of the settlement's life.

The economy of the Soto people combined agriculture, livestock, and gathering, supplemented by hunting. The presence of hand mills, granaries, and faunal remains evidences intense productive activity. The material culture shows remarkable artisanal development, especially in pottery and bronze metallurgy, along with textile work and the manufacture of bone and stone tools.

In recent years, excavations have revealed exceptional findings demonstrating contacts with the eastern Mediterranean, such as Phoenician and Egyptian ceramics, among which are cult objects made of faience, such as a small idol likely representing a goddess. These materials, along with the presence of a large rectangular structure interpreted as a possible ritual space, suggest that relations with Eastern peoples were deeper than a simple commercial exchange. It is possible that some individuals —perhaps women— settled in the village and transmitted cultural and religious elements to the local community. Towards the 4th century BC, demographic growth led to the relocation of the population to the nearby Teso de las Catedrales, where the castro of Salmantica emerged, the origin of the historic city.

After a long period of abandonment, the hill was reoccupied in the Middle Ages. Although the origins of the San Vicente monastery are not entirely clear, it is known to have existed before 1143, when Alfonso VII donated it to the Cluny order. In the 16th century, under the Catholic Monarchs, the convent was incorporated into the Reformed Benedictine Order and transformed into a university college, which led to a profound reconstruction resulting in a monumental complex of great architectural value. However, the Peninsular War led to its ruin: the French fortified it, and during the siege of Salamanca in 1812, it was virtually destroyed. After the disentailment of 1835, the hill became a humble neighborhood whose inhabitants reused the remains of the convent.

The rediscovery of the prehistoric settlement in 1949 and the recovery project initiated in the 1990s have allowed the hill to be transformed into an archaeological park and a key space for the historical interpretation of Salamanca. In 2025, the Museum was inaugurated, and work began on the musealization of the protohistoric remains and the Napoleonic defenses, consolidating the hill as a place where historical-archaeological research and cultural dissemination converge.

The tour of the San Vicente Hill Archaeological Park is divided into three main areas: the remains of the prehistoric settlement, located at the top of the hill, the visit to the San Vicente Hill Museum, dedicated to the disappeared Salamanca, which occupies the modern building constructed in 2001 on what was the cloister of the San Vicente Convent, and the slopes of the hill, now transformed into a botanical park.

1.- REMAINS OF THE PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENT To date, the remains of the First Iron Age settlement have been revealed through guided tours. These tours offer the public a detailed insight into the way of life of the communities that inhabited the hill between the 8th and 4th centuries BC. During the tour, the techniques and materials used in the construction of the dwellings and annex structures are explained. Likewise, it is shown how, through the materials recovered in the excavations, archaeology, aided by other auxiliary sciences, allows the reconstruction of fundamental aspects of that society: its economy, technology, trade relations, and even its beliefs. All this helps us better understand the lives of those who occupied San Vicente Hill for approximately four centuries.

The remains of the protohistoric settlement, located at the top of the hill, are protected by a cubic polycarbonate structure that allows natural light to enter. This cover, approximately 400 square meters, shelters and displays the archaeological findings discovered during the 2005 and 2006 excavation campaigns. Inside the building that protects the archaeological remains, a walkway situated above a transit area of the settlement allows visitors to view the excavated space for the public exhibition of the remains:

The area excavation carried out in 2005 revealed three main dwellings, a large rectangular structure, and a dozen annex structures, organized around a street. The houses have a circular plan, built with adobe, with diameters between 4 and 7 meters. Inside, all shared common elements: a central post supporting the roof, a hearth for cooking and heating, and a continuous adobe bench attached to the interior wall that served as a base, seat, and bed. The rectangular structure has recently been interpreted as a possible sanctuary and the surrounding space as a ritual area. These dwellings were inhabited by family units, and around them were other dependencies interpreted as warehouses or workspaces. The superposition of adobe constructions detected in the excavations indicates that it was a stable settlement occupied for several centuries, which is explained by the successful agricultural and livestock exploitation of the surrounding areas. Through material culture, reflection is made on the economy, way of life, trade relations, and beliefs of the inhabitants of the hill during the First Iron Age.

THE VIEWPOINTS On the edges of the hill's upper platform, three spaces have been adapted as viewpoints, offering exceptional panoramic views of the Teso de las Catedrales, the Tormes river valley, and the extensive territories stretching to the south and west of the city. Each of these viewpoints has a panel with its corresponding legend that helps identify the architectural landmarks and natural spaces that lie before us.

THE SLOPES OF SAN VICENTE HILL Within the framework of the San Vicente Hill Master Plan, excavations and landscaping work were also carried out on the slopes of the hill, now transformed into a municipal park with abundant native vegetation. During the tour through this green space, elements of ethnographic interest can be observed, such as a waterwheel, irrigation and drainage systems, terraces, and ancient cobblestone paths, all identified by panels with the corresponding explanation.

SAN VICENTE HILL MUSEUM The museum occupies the modern building constructed in 2001 on what was the cloister of the San Vicente Convent. The museum building was constructed in 2001 on the preserved remains of the cloister of the San Vicente Convent. The work, carried out by architects Juan Vicente, Pablo Núñez, and Pablo Redero and promoted by the Illustrious City Council of Salamanca, was awarded the National Prize for Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Heritage "World Heritage Cities" 2002.

The building utilizes the preserved walls of the San Vicente monastery cloister and recreates the original volumes in the new construction. The property itself becomes an essential part of the exhibition: cellars, floors, walls, and other original elements of the convent serve as a framework for the content developed in the exhibition.

The museum's floor plan develops in an “L” shape around the cloister space, coinciding with two of the monastery's original galleries. A series of walkways and platforms facilitate the tour inside.

The tour inside the museum is organized into the following stages: Reception: • Viewing an audiovisual that explains the importance of the Cerro de San Vicente. • Reflection on the city and the different ways to know it and learn from it.

First room (west gallery of the cloister): • In this room, the history of the city from geological times to the present is presented through a timeline. • On the west wall, a large reproduction of the mythical view of Salamanca made by Anton van den Wyngaerde in 1570 is exhibited. • A large screen offers an attractive audiovisual proposal that, through images and sounds, narrates the evolution of Salamanca from its origin on this hill to the present day. • Through maps, the crises that endangered the future of the city are recalled, such as the San Policarpo flood, the Lisbon earthquake, the Peninsular War, and the Desamortización (Disentailment).

South area of the cloister: history of the Benedictine Monastery of San Vicente • The original pavement of the monastery's Chapter House is preserved, made with river stones and bovine metacarpals. • Panels explain the history of the Benedictine convent of San Vicente: from its Cluniac stage, through the Benedictine reform and the total reconstruction of the monastery between the 16th and 18th centuries, to its transformation into a fort, its destruction during the Peninsular War, and the subsequent occupation of the hill by humble families. • Thanks to new technologies, an attractive virtual recreation of the monastery's appearance once its construction was completed in the 18th century is offered to the public. • The tour continues through a room where Wellington's briefcase and the model of Salamanca City Hall designed by Andrés García de Quiñones in the 18th century are exhibited. Likewise, a model with audiovisual projection shows the development of the Battle of Arapiles on July 22, 1812.

The cellars: In one of the cellars, the prehistory of Salamanca is presented, with special attention to the investigations carried out at the Soto de Medinilla site, located on the hill itself.

Claustro: • A panel displays the drawing of the cloister made by the architect Joaquín de Vargas Aguirre, which allows understanding what this space was like, contrasting its design with the foundations of the walls and the preserved buttresses. • To the north, the modern residential building constructed on the site of the monastery's old church can be observed. Upper floor of the cloister: Through panels and screens, extensive information is offered on the historical episodes that transformed the city in the 19th and 20th centuries: • The Peninsular War: a diorama shows the taking of the French forts by General Wellington during the Battle of Salamanca in June 1812, while several panels explain the Battle of Arapiles. • The Desamortización (Disentailment) and its catastrophic effects on the city. • The growth and urban development from the late 19th century and throughout much of the 20th century are presented in stages through texts, videos, and images of great interest. This space allows visitors to learn about the main infrastructure works developed during that period, as well as the predominant architectural styles at each moment. • The tour concludes with a small space dedicated to the transformation of the San Vicente neighborhood and the development of the urban plan for the hill, highlighting the most relevant interventions carried out to date.

Viewpoint: The display cases exhibit reproductions of weapons used by both armies during the Peninsular War. The visit concludes with the observation, from this privileged space, of the transformation of the San Vicente neighborhood since the late 20th century.