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Plateresque façade of the University of Salamanca

Plateresque façade of the University of Salamanca

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Plateresque façade of the University of Salamanca

Recommended by 36 hikers out of 37

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Location: Salamanca, Salamanca, Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain

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Best Hikes to Plateresque façade of the University of Salamanca

4.9

(29)

209

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1. Plaza Mayor of Salamanca – Salamanca Cathedral loop from Alamedilla

7.73km

02:03

80m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.8

(21)

149

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2. Salamanca Cathedral – Plaza Mayor of Salamanca loop from Tormes

5.30km

01:25

60m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Easy

4.6

(10)

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3. Plaza Mayor of Salamanca – Salamanca Cathedral loop from Garrido

11.2km

02:58

110m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

Tips

JavierCR 🇪🇸

August 13, 2023

The Patio de Escuelas is the name of the small square that opens in front of the Plateresque façade of the building of the Escuelas Mayores of the University in Salamanca.

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Felipe Flores 🇺🇦

August 13, 2023

Here's more information about the Fachada: es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fachada_de_la_Universidad_de_Salamanca

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Felipe Flores 🇺🇦

August 13, 2023

Who finds the 🐸 on the 💀? Donde esta la rana? 🐸

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JULIO TENDERO ROSELL

August 11, 2025

The façade of the University was built in the first half of the 16th century and is considered one of the most important portals of Spanish Plateresque architecture. The façade resembles a large tapestry, masterfully carved with three levels and five sections framed by two half-columns. Its decoration develops an iconographic program that can be interpreted as praise for the Spanish monarchy. The king presents himself as the protector of the University. The monarchy needs jurists and scholars for its nation-state project; these professionals are provided by the University in exchange for its protection.
The first level depicts the Catholic Monarchs with the legend: "The kings to the University and the University to the kings." Under the tutelage of the Catholic Monarchs, the University became a state university, thereby acquiring great development and importance. This level symbolizes the monarchy's past.
The second level features the figures of Charles V and Isabella of Portugal. These are the monarchs who ruled when the façade was erected and, therefore, its protagonists. In the center, we find the coat of arms of Charles V, to the right of it, the coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs, and to the left, that of Maximilian I of Germany. The coats of arms symbolize the union of the Spanish Crown with the German Empire. This section symbolizes the present.
The third section carries the greatest symbolic meaning. In the center, the figure of the Pope refers to the sacred nature of Charles V's empire. Alongside him are four historical figures (Trajan, Caesar, Augustus, and Alexander the Great) and two mythological ones: Hercules and Venus. These figures represent the virtues that a good emperor must possess: temperance, prudence, fortitude, and justice. They represent the future of the Spanish Monarchy.

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JULIO TENDERO ROSELL

August 11, 2025

What draws visitors and tourists' attention on the façade is the famous frog. There are various theories about the frog, each one better than the last. The best-known is that there was a tradition among university students to look for the frog on the skull. Finding the frog indicated good luck, and if the students saw it among so much decoration, they would pass their exams.
Personally, I like this second, somewhat more risqué interpretation: The frog is an allegory related to lust: the sin of the flesh. The frog is a symbol of sexual temptation, linked to the skull of death, thus warning students that women could fatally distract them from their studies, given the abundance of prostitutes who came to serve the youth (and the professors) and the risk of syphilis at the time.
In an era when it was necessary to avoid the danger of venereal diseases, the church and rulers tried to teach moral lessons to the people through works of art. Thus, since the University's frog is placed on a skull, the purpose was to remind the city's people of the importance of chastity to avoid sin and contagion, since otherwise, one could die.
However, the most realistic explanation is that the frog was a message mocking the Inquisition. The frog represents Prince John (son of the Catholic Monarchs), who died at the age of 20. The frog was a way of mocking the idea conveyed by the Catholic Church about the resurrection of the dead, expressing that Prince John would be resurrected "when frogs grow hair."
If we look closely, there are two other skulls on the right-hand pilaster, although without the frog. Another interpretation, consistent with the one we have given, is that the three skulls represent the three children of the Catholic Monarchs who died before the façade was built: Isabel, Maria, and Juan.

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Felipe

February 21, 2025

A must-see stop when visiting the city.

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Elevation 870 m

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Friday 14 November

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Max wind speed: 23.0 km/h

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Location: Salamanca, Salamanca, Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain

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Plateresque façade of the University of Salamanca

1. Plaza Mayor of Salamanca – Salamanca Cathedral loop from Alamedilla

2. Salamanca Cathedral – Plaza Mayor of Salamanca loop from Tormes

3. Plaza Mayor of Salamanca – Salamanca Cathedral loop from Garrido

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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