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About Salamanca University - About the City of Salamanca
Salamanca Town Information
About the University: Salamanca University is a public university owned by the Spanish State. The University was founded by king Alfonso IX in 1218, making it the third oldest university in Europe.The university was constructed with classical Villamayor stone and its famous façade decorated with numerous ornamental motifs making it one of the most beautiful university buildings in Spain. The first Spanish language course for foreign students was established more than 30 years ago and since then approx. 150,000 foreign students have participated in the Spanish language courses arranged by the University. The University is recognized as one of the best Spanish language schools in Spain. The University is also responsible for setting and correcting the two yearly DELE exams papers, the only officially recognized certificate by the Spanish government and Instituto Cervantes.
The University for foreigners is placed in the old but fully renovated university building near the famous garden patio de las escuelas. All classrooms have access to modern equipment such as audio and video and are fully air-conditioned.
Salamanca University has made a great effort to attract students from all over the world and apart from both American and European students there are also many Asian and Eastern European students.
The teachers of the Spanish language are all highly qualified with a University degree in Philology and have also gone through the University's internal training process.
Foreign students will receive a student card, which gives access to all the University facilities, such as the library, email access and access to sports grounds. Some free-time activities are also arranged by the university, such as excursions and visits to museums and, with one member staff dedicated to solely look after the cultural activities (which is very rare at a public university).
Facts: Salamanca is located in the mid-west area of Spain in the province of Castilla y León, 2-3 hours drive from Madrid and ½ hour away from the Portuguese border. It has a population of 180,000 and the climate during the winter can be rainy and cold while the rest of the year is dry with comfortable temperatures.
History: The city of Salamanca dates back to the 2nd century BC. where it was populated by Celtic tribes. The Romans and the Moors dominated thereafter until the requisition of Alfonso VI in 1085. Salamanca was named a university town by Alfonso IX in 1218 and Salamanca has since been one of the most important university towns in Spain.
Today Salamanca (a UNESCO World Heritage City) is a lively mixture between a modern city, a university town and a small village, which offers the many visitors advantages of each (good infrastructure combined with a young and welcoming atmosphere). The Spanish spoken in Salamanca is the purest in Spain, which also makes the city a popular destination for foreigners wishing to learn Spanish.
Attractions: In Salamanca visitors can find some of the best kept and spectacular sand stone and renaissance buildings in Spain. The university town also has the 2nd oldest university of Europe dating back to 1218, two major Cathedrals and a Roman bridge, which reminds visitors of its diverse past.
Going Out: In spite of its small population Salamanca offers many opportunities for going out at night. The students meet in the small squares or bars for a chat, a drink or a tapa (snack). The relaxed atmosphere during the day in the center goes on into the late night to the sound of music from its many bars.
For more information about Salamanca, see the following Salamanca Guide.