SALAMANCA, a city of Spain, in the province of Leon, is situated in the form of an amphitheatre on the declivities of three hills, and on the banks of the Tormes, which washes its walls, and flows through its beautiful planes. This river is crossed by a stone bridge of 27 arches, and 500 feet long, supposed to be Roman. The city is defended by a wall with thir teen gates, and has several squares, fountains, and handsome edifices. The principal square, which is large, has piazzas all round it, the houses in it being uniform, and three stories high, with balconies in front continued all round. The architecture of this square is modern and elegant, and it is reckoned among the finest in Spain. It is encircled with a parterre of twen ty arcades. The town-house occupies one side of the square, and several streets run from the other sides. Salamanca has twenty-seven parish churches and fif teen chapels, the university, twenty convents of monks, several of nuns, and several hospitals, &c.
Of all the edifices in the city the cathedral is the most imposing. It was begun in 1513, but not finish ed till 1734. It is 378 feet long, 181 wide, 130 high in the nave, and 80 in the centre. It is altogether a noble and majestic building; but the most striking parts of it are the sculptures that are over the princi pal gate, which are as fresh and sharp as if they had been newly put up. It has a superb steeple, surround ed by a handsome and spacious gallery, where several people can walk abreast. In front of the cathedral is a spacious square, paved with large square stones, sur rounded with thick pillars about six feet high, con nected by a strong iron chain, with openings for foot passengers. The church of the Dominicans, is con sidered little inferior to the cathedral in its sculptures.
The ancient church of the Jesuits, and that of St. Marc, merit notice; and also the handsome convents of St. Dominic, St. Bernard, and St. Augustine. The King's College, and the Collegios Majores de St. Bar tolome, are also much admired; the last of these being very large. All the colleges and convents have libra ries, which contain some valuable MSS.
The university of Salamanca has long been cele brated. It was founded in 1239, out of the ruins of that at Palencia, and it is said to have contained at one time, 15,000 scholars, of whom 7000 were foreigners. There are 61 professors, and in 1785 there were 1909 students; but within the last five years they arc said not to have exceeded 300 or 400. The buildings annexed to the university consist of twenty-five colleges, each of which has accommodation for thirty students. Besides, there are four of what are called grand colleges, for young men of family. There is here an Irish college, built in 1614. The academical dress is a black cassock, like that of the priests, and the heads of the students are shaven, and covered with a cap. The library, which is spacious, contains some modern books; but the greater number are works on scholastic theology. The city abounds in beggars, as the hospicio, or ge neral work-house, can only support 450 paupers. Here there are various useful machines and imple ments, particularly one for weaving tape, which is so expeditious that a little child can weave fifty yards a day, and a woman more than 120. Here is a Roman road leading southward to Merida. Population about 14,000. West Long. 5° 10', North Lat. 41° 21'. See Laborde's View of Spain; and Townshend's Travels in Spain.