PLAZA DE ANAYA

During the Peninsular War, Salamanca saw a large part of its monumental heritage disappear. The decision to build several French forts led to the demolition of all monuments in the southwestern part of the city, while the remaining convents and colleges were heavily damaged by their use as barracks and war hospitals. Shortly after the effects of the war, the no less destructive effects of the 19th-century disentailments had to be added.

It was during this period that the Plaza de Anaya emerged, an initiative by Paul Thiébault, who was then the military head of the French army in Salamanca. Thiébault, lodged in the old Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé, ordered the demolition in 1811 of the block of houses that stood between the facade of said college and the New Cathedral. Before that date, the area retained its medieval layout of narrow and intricate alleyways. A small square, linked to the medieval parish of San Sebastián, which stood in front of the steps of the Colegio de Anaya, already existed in this place. Thiébault's project attempted to transform the square into an open space, in line with the enlightened canons of the era. Thiébault, however, did not see his project completed, as with the departure of the Napoleonic troops in 1812, the square remained undeveloped.

The square underwent several different renovations from the late 19th century. The first of these was the opening in 1890 of the last section of the Rúa Mayor. The current structure of the Plaza de Anaya, with some minor modifications, corresponds to the renovation carried out in 1932 by municipal architect Ricardo Pérez. At that time, the cathedral's atrium was modified to give it a layout parallel to that of the gardens, and the steps of the Colegio Mayor de Anaya, which had been buried since the 19th century, were recovered. The last major reform, carried out between 1972 and 1975, gave the square its current appearance. The Cathedral's atrium was redesigned, replacing the angled staircase with a staircase located in front of the Puerta de Ramos. A regular garden was consolidated with flowerbeds, hedges, and emblematic trees like the “city” sequoia, which became a symbol of the place. The statue of Padre Cámara, which had been placed in the square in 1910, was moved to its current location next to the Episcopal Palace. The latest reforms have provided the square with ramps allowing access between the different terrace levels and a Tourist Information Point with public restrooms under the Cathedral's atrium.

Anaya Square is one of the most emblematic places in the city of Salamanca. Its beauty and historical value make it a symbol of Salamanca's urban and academic life. Very few residents can boast of enjoying direct views of this square from their homes, as almost its entire perimeter is occupied by academic and religious buildings that define its character and uniqueness.

A large part of the northern flank is occupied by the old Colegio Mayor de Anaya, which includes the Hospedería and the Church of San Sebastián. On the west side, the space is closed off by the Faculty of Translation and Interpretation and the Escuelas Mayores. On the nineteenth-century walls of the latter building, a plaque commemorates the famous phrase that Cervantes dedicated to Salamanca through the protagonist of Licenciado Vidriera: “Salamanca, which bewitches the will to return to it for those who have tasted the peacefulness of its dwelling.”

The New Cathedral dominates the southern flank of the square, and its famous Puerta de Ramos inevitably captures the attention of those who contemplate it and discover, amazed, an astronaut peeking out among the foliage and the late Gothic ornamentation that adorns it.