HUERTO DE CALIXTO Y MELIBEA
35 minutes
Behind Salamanca's cathedrals and atop the ancient city wall's walkway lies hidden the Huerto de Calixto y Melibea, a corner of history, literature, and nature. Its name refers to the famous lovers from La Celestina, Fernando de Rojas' immortal work, whose legend places the setting for their clandestine encounters here. At the entrance, a sculpture by Agustín Casillas pays tribute to the figure of the old procuress, a symbol of intrigue and deceit. The space was acquired by the City Council in 1981 and transformed into a public garden, becoming an oasis of lush vegetation, an island of greenery emerging amidst the stone 'sea' of Salamanca's historic quarter. It is a place that invites leisurely strolls, unhurried reading, or simply to be enveloped by the intimate atmosphere emanating from the garden. From its two viewpoints, privileged views of the cathedrals and the nearby San Esteban Convent can be enjoyed.
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Free visit price
- Individual - 0.00 €
Perched atop the ancient city wall and behind Salamanca's majestic cathedrals lies a unique corner where history, literature, and nature intertwine: the Huerto de Calixto y Melibea. This romantic garden owes its name to the protagonists of La Celestina, the celebrated work by Fernando de Rojas, who was a student at the University of Salamanca in the 15th century. The city preserves two sites linked to this literary work: the Peña Celestina (Celestina's Crag), west of the Teso de las Catedrales, where tradition holds the old procuress lived, and this garden, where tradition places the garden of Melibea's father's palace, the setting for the young protagonists' amorous encounters.
Access to the Huerto de Calixto y Melibea is from Patio Chico, through the tranquil Calle del Arcediano. This narrow passage leads to an old stone wall, where a semicircular arched doorway with large voussoirs opens, displaying the coats of arms of Alonso de Paradinas, Archdeacon of Ledesma and Bishop of Ciudad Rodrigo. Alonso de Paradinas was a student at the Colegio de San Bartolomé; there he copied the copy of the Libro del Buen Amor (Book of Good Love) that is preserved today in the University's Historical Library. Paradinas spent many years of his life in Rome, where he commissioned the construction of the Church and Hospital of Santiago, considered the first Renaissance building built in Rome. Above the door of this church, the same coat of arms we see here is displayed. Today, apart from the emblazoned door, the well, and a cistern, little remains of the palace that once stood here, but it's not difficult to imagine a late-medieval palace with its lofty tower dominating the city.
The expansive plot extending from the door to the city wall, in the section between Casa de Lis and Puerta de San Polo, is today occupied by a lush garden whose viewpoint is the rampart walk (adarve) of the medieval wall, offering incredible views of the San Esteban Convent and the Cathedral.
In 1981, it was acquired by the city council which, after a careful intervention, transformed it into a public garden. The rehabilitation combined existing elements, both vegetation and architecture, with new ones to turn it into a flower garden with romantic connotations. The garden was expanded in 1992, when the city council acquired the adjoining plot, known as Jardín de El Visir (the Vizier's Garden) due to the owner's nickname.
Access to the Huerto de Calixto y Melibea is from Patio Chico, through the tranquil Calle del Arcediano. This narrow passage leads to an old stone wall, where a semicircular arched doorway with large voussoirs opens, displaying the coats of arms of Alonso de Paradinas, Archdeacon of Ledesma and Bishop of Ciudad Rodrigo. Alonso de Paradinas was a student at the Colegio de San Bartolomé; there he copied the copy of the Libro del Buen Amor (Book of Good Love) that is preserved today in the University's Historical Library. Paradinas spent many years of his life in Rome, where he commissioned the construction of the Church and Hospital of Santiago, considered the first Renaissance building built in Rome. Above the door of this church, the same coat of arms we see here is displayed. Today, apart from the emblazoned door, the well, and a cistern, little remains of the palace that once stood here, but it's not difficult to imagine a late-medieval palace with its lofty tower dominating the city.
The expansive plot extending from the door to the city wall, in the section between Casa de Lis and Puerta de San Polo, is today occupied by a lush garden whose viewpoint is the rampart walk (adarve) of the medieval wall, offering incredible views of the San Esteban Convent and the Cathedral.
In 1981, it was acquired by the city council which, after a careful intervention, transformed it into a public garden. The rehabilitation combined existing elements, both vegetation and architecture, with new ones to turn it into a flower garden with romantic connotations. The garden was expanded in 1992, when the city council acquired the adjoining plot, known as Jardín de El Visir (the Vizier's Garden) due to the owner's nickname.
SCULPTURE OF CELESTINA
At the entrance, next to an old ivy-clad wall, a magnificent black mulberry tree immediately draws attention, shading the sculpture of the procuress. It is likely a descendant of the mulberry plantations promoted in Salamanca between the 18th and 19th centuries for silkworm breeding. Beside the mulberry tree, a fountain and stone benches create a romantic corner cradled by the murmur of water.
CASA DE LA CALERA
To the right is the Casa de la Calera, a place where lime used for the construction of the New Cathedral was stored, and which at one point also served as the University's printing press. Today it houses the pilgrims' hostel for those traveling the Vía de la Plata towards Santiago.
THE GARDEN
A stone wall, in which a semicircular archway with large voussoirs opens, provides access to a lush garden. The rich vegetation, the tree cover that barely lets light through, and the legend, mesmerize those who cross this threshold. The main path leads to the well, around which the garden's irregular and terraced layout is structured. The space is divided into 16 parterres delimited by boxwood hedges, with their inner areas occupied by fruit trees interspersed with a variety of plants and shrubs. To stroll through the Huerto de Calixto y Melibea today is to explore a space that preserves the memory of its past as an orchard, now transformed into an urban garden full of life and botanical diversity. Its paths wind among fruit trees, medicinal plants, ornamental species, and others associated with ancient beliefs and magical uses.
THE FOUNTAIN AND THE MULBERRY TREE
At the entrance, next to an old ivy-covered wall, a magnificent black mulberry tree immediately catches the eye, shading the sculpture of the procuress. It is likely a descendant of the mulberry plantations promoted in Salamanca between the 18th and 19th centuries for silkworm breeding. Beside the mulberry tree, a fountain and stone benches create a romantic corner cradled by the murmur of water.
THE WELL
In the heart of the garden stands a well with a granite curb, a silent witness to countless love stories, represented by the many padlocks hanging from its arch, directly connecting it to Rojas' work.
THE CITY WALL VIEWPOINT
The southern part of the garden rises above the city wall, with two viewpoints situated atop two towers of the medieval enclosure. Strolling along its wide rampart walk (adarve) is a pleasure for the senses and the best vantage point for views of the cathedral and the immense San Esteban Convent complex.
THE JARDÍN DEL VISIR
Thanks to the sparser vegetation, this spot offers an unobstructed view of the New Cathedral's dome and the Bell Tower. Precisely here, a selfie spot has been installed, a perfect place to capture a self-portrait with this exceptional backdrop.
From the Jardín del Visir viewpoint, located atop a wall tower (torreón), the striking stained-glass windows of Casa Lis can also be admired.
At the entrance, next to an old ivy-clad wall, a magnificent black mulberry tree immediately draws attention, shading the sculpture of the procuress. It is likely a descendant of the mulberry plantations promoted in Salamanca between the 18th and 19th centuries for silkworm breeding. Beside the mulberry tree, a fountain and stone benches create a romantic corner cradled by the murmur of water.
CASA DE LA CALERA
To the right is the Casa de la Calera, a place where lime used for the construction of the New Cathedral was stored, and which at one point also served as the University's printing press. Today it houses the pilgrims' hostel for those traveling the Vía de la Plata towards Santiago.
THE GARDEN
A stone wall, in which a semicircular archway with large voussoirs opens, provides access to a lush garden. The rich vegetation, the tree cover that barely lets light through, and the legend, mesmerize those who cross this threshold. The main path leads to the well, around which the garden's irregular and terraced layout is structured. The space is divided into 16 parterres delimited by boxwood hedges, with their inner areas occupied by fruit trees interspersed with a variety of plants and shrubs. To stroll through the Huerto de Calixto y Melibea today is to explore a space that preserves the memory of its past as an orchard, now transformed into an urban garden full of life and botanical diversity. Its paths wind among fruit trees, medicinal plants, ornamental species, and others associated with ancient beliefs and magical uses.
THE FOUNTAIN AND THE MULBERRY TREE
At the entrance, next to an old ivy-covered wall, a magnificent black mulberry tree immediately catches the eye, shading the sculpture of the procuress. It is likely a descendant of the mulberry plantations promoted in Salamanca between the 18th and 19th centuries for silkworm breeding. Beside the mulberry tree, a fountain and stone benches create a romantic corner cradled by the murmur of water.
THE WELL
In the heart of the garden stands a well with a granite curb, a silent witness to countless love stories, represented by the many padlocks hanging from its arch, directly connecting it to Rojas' work.
THE CITY WALL VIEWPOINT
The southern part of the garden rises above the city wall, with two viewpoints situated atop two towers of the medieval enclosure. Strolling along its wide rampart walk (adarve) is a pleasure for the senses and the best vantage point for views of the cathedral and the immense San Esteban Convent complex.
THE JARDÍN DEL VISIR
Thanks to the sparser vegetation, this spot offers an unobstructed view of the New Cathedral's dome and the Bell Tower. Precisely here, a selfie spot has been installed, a perfect place to capture a self-portrait with this exceptional backdrop.
From the Jardín del Visir viewpoint, located atop a wall tower (torreón), the striking stained-glass windows of Casa Lis can also be admired.