MIRADOR DE LAS CLARAS

The Convent of Santa Clara is the oldest of the preserved women's monasteries in the city. Its origin dates back to the first half of the 13th century when a group of noblewomen decided to unite in community to live ascetically and protect themselves when their husbands went to war. They settled in the hermitage of Santa María, giving rise to the religious community of Dueñas de Santa María. Over the years, and thanks to privileges from popes and kings, it became the Royal Monastery of Santa Clara.

This convent has been home to the community of Poor Clares for approximately eight hundred years. In 2019, the nuns left this place to settle in other monasteries of the order. It is an emblematic space now converted into the Santa Clara Museum of Medieval Painting. It showcases the great spiritual, artistic, and historical legacy that the convent has preserved over the centuries.

During the tour of the monastery, visitors can contemplate a rich collection of artworks that bring them closer to the life and spirituality of the community of Poor Clare nuns. The most notable features are the medieval paintings covering the walls of the lower choir, the cloister, the Baroque church, and the exceptional medieval Mudejar ceiling that was accidentally discovered above the Baroque vault of the church. From the upper choir, one accesses the viewpoint, built between 1727 and 1728. From here, visitors can contemplate the Teso de las Catedrales, where the most significant buildings of the historic city are located.

The visual journey we can undertake from the Mirador de Las Claras is truly exceptional. Many monuments can be contemplated from this turret, among which we highlight the following:

• CONVENT OF SAN ESTEBAN: This Dominican convent is one of the city's architectural gems. It combines late Gothic and Renaissance styles. Founded in the 13th century, it has been an important center for theological studies and evangelization. Its impressive Plateresque facade and cloister are among its most outstanding features.
• NEW CATHEDRAL: Built between the 16th and 18th centuries, this cathedral combines Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. Its impressive facade and interior decorated with magnificent altarpieces make it one of Salamanca's main symbols.
• TOWERS OF LA CLERECÍA: Originally built as the Royal College of the Society of Jesus, this imposing Baroque building was funded by Margaret of Austria, wife of Philip III. Currently, it houses the Pontifical University of Salamanca. It offers the possibility of climbing its towers to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.
• ANAYA PALACE: This Neoclassical building was home to the Colegio Mayor (residential college) of San Bartolomé. Its elegant facade and spacious interior courtyard make it one of the most representative examples of academic architecture in Salamanca.
• CHURCH OF SAN SEBASTIÁN: A temple of great historical and artistic value, whose dome is visible from various points in the city. It was built by Alberto de Churriguera as the chapel of Anaya College. Today it is the Cathedral Parish.
• LA SALINA PALACE: An elegant Renaissance palace noted for its exterior gallery and original courtyard. It has had various uses throughout history and currently houses the Provincial Council of Salamanca.
• PLAZA DE COLÓN: A landscaped area that brings freshness and beauty to the urban environment, framing some of Salamanca's most emblematic buildings. Overlooking this square are the palaces of La Salina and Orellana, the Torreón de los Anaya, the Church of San Pablo, and the Torre del Clavero.
• CHURCH OF SAN MARTÍN: A late Romanesque temple that witnessed the transformation of the old San Martín Market into a wonderful Baroque Plaza Mayor.
• PLAZA MAYOR: Salamanca's Plaza Mayor was built in the 18th century by Alberto de Churriguera. Its harmonious design and arcades make it one of the most beautiful squares in Spain.

The Mirador de Las Claras is part of the tour of the Convent of Santa Clara, so it is necessary to buy a ticket to visit it. It is accessed from the convent's upper choir via a metal staircase. The panoramic view from here is novel, surprising even for the people of Salamanca themselves.

The Convent of Las Claras is located on San Cristóbal Hill, in the eastern part of the city, separated from the Teso de las Catedrales by the deep gully formed by the Santo Domingo Stream, today channeled beneath Gran Vía Street. From the turret, we have a very complete panoramic view of the city with the bright blue sky as a backdrop, against which the silhouettes of the monuments are outlined. The buildings appear to be within a painting, framed by the grid formed by the viewpoint's lattice.

Beneath our feet lies the Plaza de San Román. Prominently featured there is a beautiful porticoed gallery that once belonged to the courtyard of the Palace of the Count of Francos, which disappeared when Gran Vía was built. The courtyard was dismantled stone by stone and moved to the Hospital of the Holy Trinity, today the College of the Servants of Saint Joseph. The agreement between Mayor Beltrán de Heredia and the Servants of Saint Joseph made it possible for the gallery to be brought outside, where it was assembled as a continuous loggia.

If we follow the visual tour from left to right, we first find the Church of San Esteban, belonging to the Dominican Convent. Next, in the heart of the historic quarter, the New Cathedral rises imposingly. The New Cathedral dominates the historic city, which it seems to embrace and protect. To its right stand out the Towers of La Clerecía and the characteristic pavilions of the former College of the Society of Jesus, currently the seat of the Pontifical University. In front of the cathedral, the Anaya Palace and the dome of the Church of San Sebastián are distinguished. A green strip reveals the area occupied by Plaza de Colón, above which the galleries of the Palacio de la Salina stand out. Finally, on the far right, the Church of San Martín and the bell gable of the City Hall emerge, completing this historically and architecturally rich view.