New Cathedral of Salamanca Church

Address: Plaza Juan XXIII, 37008 Salamanca, Spain

Website: https://catedralsalamanca.es/

Hours: Daily 10:00am-8:00pm (hours vary seasonally)

Admission: Combined ticket with Old Cathedral €7 (adult)

The New Cathedral of Salamanca is a large cathedral complex in Salamanca, Castile and León, combining late Gothic and Baroque architecture. Construction took place over the 16th to 18th centuries, creating one of the city’s principal monuments.

The cathedral complex offers richly carved stone façades, a spacious nave and multiple ornate chapels with Baroque ornamentation. Visitors commonly explore sculpted portals and decorative tympana on the exterior and can join tower climbs for city views.

Construction of the New Cathedral began in the early 16th century and continued into the 18th century, resulting in a mix of Gothic structure and later Baroque additions. It was built alongside and physically connected to the older Romanesque cathedral, extending Salamanca’s main ecclesiastical complex.

Located in Salamanca’s historic centre, the two cathedrals stand next to each other close to the Plaza Mayor and form a dominant feature of the city’s skyline.

• Astronaut carving: A small modern figure of an astronaut was carved into the cathedral façade during 20th-century repair work and is a modern curiosity many visitors look for.
• Tower access and views: Guided climbs to the cathedral towers are available and offer panoramic views over Salamanca’s historic centre.

What to See#

• New Cathedral (Catedral Nueva): A large late Gothic to Baroque cathedral complex erected adjacent to the older Romanesque cathedral; notable for its richly carved exterior façades and interior chapels.
• Old Cathedral (Catedral Vieja): A Romanesque cathedral dating from the 12th century that stands immediately beside the newer building and shares common circulation routes for visitors.

The cathedral sits about a 5-10 minute walk from Plaza Mayor (Salamanca’s central square). From Salamanca Railway Station, it is a 20-25 minute walk west along Calle Alfonso de Castro or a short taxi ride (5-10 minutes). Local buses stop near Plaza Mayor.

• Climb the Torre del Gallo for views and to see the astronaut carving up close - ticketed times fill early in summer.
• Enter from Plaza Juan XXIII to avoid the busiest flows from Plaza Mayor.
• Look for worn stone steps inside the nave and the carved faces on the south portal - details restorers keep adding, including the modern 'astronaut' (1992).