Salamanca - Catedral Vieja

Salamanca is a "real city" with a population of more than 140.000 inhabitants.

Under Roman and Visigothic rule called “Helmantica,” the city developed into an important trading center. In the 8th century, Salamanca was taken by the Moors, but in 939 it became Christian again as a result of the Battle of Simancas. Salamanca became a border town to the Islamic south of the Iberian Peninsula and was subsequently exposed to constant attacks, which resulted in depopulation and only after the conquest of Toledo by Alfonso VI. León's rule ended in 1085. In 1102 the period of repopulation began. The Christian new settlers rose against Castile-León in 1162 and called on Portugal for help in 1163, which occupied Salamanca for two years.

Salamanca experienced its heyday in the 16th century. In 1524, the construction of the church and monastery of San Esteban began and at the same time, the new cathedral was built.
The old cathedral, together with the adjacent larger new cathedral, is the episcopal church. The construction of the Romanesque-early Gothic basilica began around 1150. The work continued well into the 13th century. The cathedral school was founded in 1174, from which the University of Salamanca emerged in 1218.

The church is a cruciform basilica. The nave is 52 m long and 16.70 m high. All three naves close with semicircular apses. The left transept arm was cut off during the construction of the new cathedral.

The main altarpiece

The work can be dated between 1430 and 1450, and there are three artists who worked on the 53 panels of the altarpiece.

The main works are by the Italian Daniel Delli (aka "Dello Delli"), who painted the first 12 panels. Dello Delli was assisted by his two brothers. Sanson Delli created some of the panels in the center section of the altar, the third brother, Niccolò Delli (aka "Niccolò Florentino") painted some of the last panels of the work and the painting of the Last Judgment, located in the apse of the cathedral.

The altarpiece depicts a cycle of the life of the Virgin Mary and Jesus.