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 Archaeological Park of Cerro de San Vicente is divided into three main areas:

• The remains of the prehistoric settlement, located on the hilltop.

• The visit to the Museum of Cerro de San Vicente, which occupies the modern building constructed in 2001 over what was the cloister of the Convent of San Vicente.

• The slopes of the hill, now transformed into a botanical park.

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

REMAINS OF THE PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENT To date, the remains of the First Iron Age settlement have been revealed through guided tours. These visits offer the public a detailed view of the lifestyle 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 dwellings and annexed structures are explained. Likewise, it is shown how, through the materials recovered in the excavations, archaeology, aided by other auxiliary sciences, allows for the reconstruction of fundamental aspects of that society: its economy, technology, trade relations, and even its beliefs. All this helps us to better understand the lives of those who occupied Cerro de San Vicente for approximately four centuries. Inside the building that protects the archaeological remains, a walkway situated over a transit area of the settlement allows visitors to visualize 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 annexed structures, organized around a street. The houses have a circular plan, built with adobes, 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 storerooms 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, reflections are made on the economy, lifestyle, trade relations, and beliefs of the inhabitants of the hill during the First Iron Age.

THE VIEWPOINTS On the edges of the upper platform of the hill, three spaces have been adapted as viewpoints, from which exceptional panoramic views of the Teso de las Catedrales, the Tormes river plain, and the extensive territories stretching south and west of the city can be obtained. 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 CERRO DE SAN VICENTE Within the framework of the Master Plan for Cerro de San Vicente, excavations and landscaping works 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 such as a waterwheel, irrigation and sewage systems, terraces, and old cobbled paths can be observed, all identified by panels with the corresponding explanation.

MUSEUM OF CERRO DE SAN VICENTE ON VANISHED SALAMANCA “Invisible Salamanca” The museum building was constructed in 2001 over the preserved remains of the cloister of the Convent of San Vicente. The works, carried out by architects Juan Vicente, Pablo Núñez, and Pablo Redero and promoted by the Illustrious City Council of Salamanca, were awarded the National Prize for Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Heritage “World Heritage Cities” 2002. The building utilizes the preserved walls of the cloister of the San Vicente monastery and recreates the original volumes in the new construction. The building itself becomes an essential part of the exhibition: cellars, floors, walls, and other original elements of the convent serve as a framework for the contents developed in the exhibition. The museum's floor plan is developed 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 internal tour. The tour inside the museum is organized into the following stages:

1. Viewing the audiovisual that explains the importance of Cerro de San Vicente for understanding the origins of the city.
2. Reflection on the “invisible city,” the vanished city still latent in archaeological remains and collective memory.
3. In the tour through the west gallery, we can see: • A timeline from geological times to the present day. • An exhibition of historical maps and plans showing the transformations of Salamanca's historic center from the 18th to the 20th century. • The mythical panoramic view of the city made in 1570 by Antón van den Wyngaerde. • A screen with an attractive audiovisual proposal that narrates, through plans and audios, the evolution of Salamanca from its origins.
4. In the south gallery, the magnificent pavement of the convent's Chapter House is preserved in situ, made with quartzite pebbles forming elegant geometric designs. In this space, the history of the Benedictine monastery of San Vicente is explained, and the archaeological remains found on the site are explored in depth, highlighting the importance that convents had in the religious and urban life of Salamanca. It also shows how, after the destruction of the convent during the Peninsular War, its ruins were reused by the families who colonized the hill in the second half of the 19th century, transforming it into one of the city's humblest neighborhoods, known as the Barrio de San Vicente y los Milagros. 5.- Inside a room, a series of objects that powerfully attract visitors' attention are displayed: Wellington's briefcase and the City Council model designed by Andrés García de Quiñones in the 18th century. A diorama with projections over a model narrates the development of the Battle of Arapiles. 6.- The cellars: in one of the cellars, the prehistory of Salamanca is shown, emphasizing the Soto de Medinilla site located on the hill. An audiovisual projects geometric designs onto the walls.
5. On the upper floor, we find information about the Battle of Arapiles, the Desamortización (disentailment), and the subsequent growth and urban development of Salamanca during the 19th and 20th centuries.
6. In the viewpoint area, showcases display reproductions of weapons used during the Peninsular War. It concludes by observing from this privileged space how the San Vicente neighborhood has transformed since the late 20th century.