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400 BC Salamanca was founded by Celtic tribes. The Romans then
annexed the city as part of the Province of Lusitania and Alfonso
X was the first person to call it Salamanca. Christianity arrived
to the city some time before the year 600 and then the Moors conquered
it in 712. The region was ruled by the arabs for 4 centuries with
constant fighting inbetween. In the 12th century Salamanca was
restored to the Christian monarchs. Various groups like the Portuguese,the
Torenses, the Mozarabs, and the Castilians arrived and developed
their communities.
Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the life
of the city was overshadowed by fights between rival groups. In
the 16th to 18th centuriesWith the arrival of the Renaissance,
the city enjoyed a period of peace and growth along with the golden
period for art and architecture with Salamanca producing great
artists, sculptors and authors.
Salamanca played an important role in the war
of Independence. The wars had catastrophic consequences for Salamanca
as they brought down much of the city's cultural and artistic
heritage. Many colleges, palaces and architectural treasures were
destroyed. The battle of Salamanca ended in defeat for the French
army and marked a turning point in Napoleon's occupation of Spain.
In the 20th century with the
arrival of democracy and the restoration of the monarchy the city
has been transformed both socially and politically by becoming
a modern city without losing the culture and history that it has
inherited. Consequently it has been named a World Heritage Site
by UNESCO and in 2002 has been honored with the role of European
Cultural Capital.
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