CHURCH OF LA CLERECÍA AND PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY

The majestic architectural complex now comprising the Church of La Clerecía and the Pontifical University originated as the Royal College of the Society of Jesus, dedicated to the Holy Spirit. The Royal College was founded at the beginning of the 17th century at the initiative of the Kings of Spain, Philip III and Margaret of Austria.

The Society's presence in Salamanca dates back to the 16th century, when a young Ignatius of Loyola unsuccessfully attempted to study at the University of Salamanca. In the late 16th century, the Jesuits began the construction of a large college in the Peñuelas de San Blas area, where they resided until 1665, the year they moved to the new college on Calle Compañía. Following the monarchs' visit to Salamanca in 1601, the queen decided to fund a new college for the Society of Jesus, with the purpose of training missionaries for evangelization in America and Europe. Construction lasted for over one hundred and fifty years. The result was an architectural complex of exceptional magnitude, considered a masterpiece of European Baroque.

The architect chosen for the work was Juan Gómez de Mora, royal architect to Philip III. Gómez de Mora designed the plans between 1616-1618, upon which other architects would later introduce modifications, with construction beginning in 1617. Work started with the Church, following the Jesuit typology of a single nave with side chapels and a transept. The final interior configuration of the building would be completed in the 18th century. It would be architect Andrés García de Quiñones who would finish the church's façade and build the main cloister, the grand staircase, and the General of Theology (today the Great Hall of the Pontifical University).

After the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767, the building was divided into three parts. The Church and the Sacristy were handed over to the Royal Clergy of San Marcos, giving rise to its current name. The southern wing, organized around the community cloister, was designated for Irish students, popularly known as "La Irlanda." Currently, this cloister houses the Vargas Zúñiga library, as well as classrooms and offices of the Pontifical University. Meanwhile, the college, structured around the main cloister, became the seat of the Conciliar Seminary.
When the Jesuits were expelled, the façade of the college's main gatehouse still needed to be completed, a task undertaken by Bishop Felipe Beltrán. The work was not finalized until twelve years after the expulsion, as confirmed by the inscription located above Bishop Beltrán's coat of arms (Anno MDCCLXXIX).

During the 19th century, and especially during the Peninsular War, the building was used on several occasions as barracks and a field hospital by troops stationed in the city. Subsequently, it resumed its function as a seminary and, since 1940, became the main headquarters of the Pontifical University of Salamanca.

From an artistic point of view, the Church and the College represent the most prominent elements of this grand architectural complex. Both spaces, along with the tour of the church towers (Scala Coeli), are open to the public, offering visitors a unique experience to delve into its history.

The visit to the old Royal College of the Holy Spirit is divided into two main parts. On one hand, the tour of the Pontifical University and the Church of La Clerecía, which is always carried out as part of the guided tours organized by the University itself. On the other hand, the ascent to the towers —known as Scala Coeli—, which is done freely and allows visitors to enjoy the monumental complex from above.

THE EXTERIOR OF THE COLLEGE From its privileged location, in the heart of the historic center and atop the Teso de las Catedrales, the Royal College dominates the entire historic city. The college occupies an extensive city block with facades facing Calle Compañía, to which it gives its name, and those of Serranos and Cervantes. The exterior walls, traversed by hundreds of windows placed in superimposed rows, recall those of the Monastery of El Escorial. When observed from a distance, two long pavilions with galleries located to the north and south of the building stand out. The college is structured around the large Cloister of Studies, with the church located to the south. On the eastern side, towards Cervantes Street, is the smaller cloister, today occupied by the Vargas Zúñiga library of the Pontifical University.

THE CHURCH FAÇADE The façade is set into Calle Compañía, opposite the Casa de las Conchas. Through its architectural articulation, based on giant order columns and large entablatures, it breaks the monotony of the exterior walls. Its growth in height reflects the evolution of the building from the Mannerist sobriety of the lintelled doors to the grand Baroque style of the towers and belfry. It is structured like a large altarpiece divided into two sections and three bays, individualized by giant order columns. It is topped with the imposing towers that flank the belfry with the relief of the Coming of the Holy Spirit.

In the first section of the temple, above the side doors, the coats of arms of Philip III and Margaret of Austria stand out. The central niche, located above the main door, houses a sculpture of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

The incorporation of the towers accentuated the Baroque character of the façade. Designed by García de Quiñones, they feature two superimposed bodies with windows on each of their four faces. The corners are topped with pinnacles and pairs of statues created by Gregorio Carnicero, representing the four Theological and Cardinal Virtues, the 4 Fathers of the Church, and various Jesuit saints.

THE DOME The dome, octagonal in plan and over 50 meters high, is one of the most impressive elements of the complex. However, from a technical point of view, it presents certain deficiencies, which is why it has had to be restored on several occasions, especially after the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, whose effects caused cracks and collapses .

COLLEGE PORTAL Jerónimo García de Quiñones was in charge of completing the college's portal after the expulsion of the Jesuits, at which point the building became a Conciliar Seminary. The portal rises above street level, and access is via a double-flight staircase. Its structure follows the retable-façade model, articulated in two sections separated by a robust entablature. In the lower part, two stylized semi-columns frame the ensemble, while above the door, Bishop Beltrán's coat of arms stands out, accompanied by an inscription indicating its construction date. In the second section, above the central window, is the coat of arms of Charles III.

THE CHURCH The construction of the church began in 1617 and was consecrated in 1665. It follows the Jesuit typology of a nave with lateral chapels, connected to each other by lintelled doors. Above the chapels are the tribunes, open to the church through doors with balconies. It was designed and built up to the springing of the vaults by Juan Gómez de Mora, and it is here that the influence of El Escorial is best appreciated. Above the transept rises the enormous dome, whose pendentives are adorned with carved coats of arms of Philip III.

Inside the church, it was decorated with 10 altarpieces, with the high altar standing out above all. It was created by Juan Fernández between 1673 and 1675 in a pre-Churrigueresque style. It is 22 meters high, and its central body is traversed by enormous Solomonic columns. In the central bay, the high relief of the Coming of the Holy Spirit stands out, flanked by statues of the Fathers of the Western Church. The attic is presided over by the relief of the Virgin inspiring Saint Ignatius with the Spiritual Exercises. The altarpieces of the transept were consecrated to St. Francis Xavier and St. Ignatius of Loyola. Each of the seven lateral chapels is decorated with large Baroque altarpieces with different devotions. Standing out are those dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, the Visitation of the Virgin to her cousin Saint Elizabeth, and Saint James.

This church is home to two Penitent Brotherhoods that participate in Salamanca's Holy Week: • The University Brotherhood of the Most Holy Christ of Light and Our Lady Mother of Wisdom. Founded in 1948. • The Brotherhood of Our Father Flagellated Jesus and Our Lady of Tears. Founded in 1948. El Flagelado is a magnificent work by Luis Salvador Carmona (1760). It was made for the sacristy altarpiece, which today has academic use, and has therefore been placed in the church, on the altar of the Saint Catherine altarpiece.

MAIN FLOOR OF THE CLOISTER The interior galleries of the main floor of the cloister are covered by barrel vaults with lunettes. Above the corner doors, canvases with portraits of cardinals and bishops of the Society of Jesus stand out. The gallery walls are decorated with 28 canvases depicting the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. They were created in Rome, in the workshop of Sebastián Conca, in the mid-18th century.

AULA MAGNA In the west gallery of the cloister, next to the main staircase, opens the General Theology Hall, today the Paraninfo (Great Hall) of the Pontifical University. The General Theology Hall was completed in 1746 by A. García de Quiñones. It is a spacious rectangular room, whose vault is richly ornamented with plasterwork and stuccoes, among which allegorical figures and Latin inscriptions are intertwined. At the top of the vault are represented the four Doctors of the Latin Church, interspersed with the coats of arms of Philip III and Margaret of Austria. In the large lunettes of the end walls, Father Diego Lainez is depicted delivering one of his master lessons before the Council of Trent, and Wisdom and Saint Ignatius sending their sons to teach all sciences.

MAIN STAIRCASE In the west wing is the main staircase that connects the different floors of the cloister. It is also by Andrés García de Quiñones and is covered by a vault adorned with stucco panels featuring polychrome coats of arms of the founders. It is a spectacular cantilevered staircase with nine flights. The precedent for this staircase is found in the one Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón created for the Dominican convent of San Esteban in the mid-16th century.

CLOISTER OF STUDIES The College houses a monumental three-story Baroque cloister, a work by Andrés García de Quiñones. Its structure is composed of three sections, the first two traversed by giant order columns similar to those of the façade. Only on the lower level do the galleries have arches open to the courtyard. The main floor has balconies with doors crowned by horizontal oculus windows. It is in this section where the decoration is concentrated, with two coats of arms of King Philip V standing out on each side.

Every year, when the academic year ends, this cloister serves as an unparalleled setting for the graduation photo of the young people graduating from the faculties housed in this building.

On the noble floor of the cloister, there is a series of 28 paintings narrating the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola (see Vita Ignatii).