A Mystery in Salamanca Spain?

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Alejandro B

You are lucky, I am Spanish and live here in Salamanca.

First of all, the astronaut IS NOT IN THE CATHEDRAL, BUT IN THE OLD UNIVERSITY GATE.
The first image in the video do is the Cathedral, but not the others.

As another usuary said, the astronaut was added recently, in 1993, when the city monuments were cleaned and reformed before a big exhibition were held in Salamanca.
The other figures added there were a dragon eating an ice-cream and smiling, a linx and a bull. The dragon as a joke, and the other two because these animals are symbols of Spain.

As a curiosity, you should know that originally, between a group of skulls in the old University gate there were one of theme with a frog over it, and a centenary legend told that the student who found it between all the figures would pass all his exams of that year.
Then, all the visitants stop in front of it looking for the frog, now, they also have to find the dragon and the astronaut!

Best luck

abuela Nany

It's not a hoax...
There is however a simple explanation... These cathedrals are restored at certain times over the years... The person doing the restoration work usually "signs" his work by adding a small figure somewhere. The most recent restoration of this cathedral was done during the 60's - 70's of the last century, thus the adding of the astronaut figure! Man had just recently gone to the moon!

SOC JO! A capite ad calcem

Good one!

Is it true.It is there.But IÂ´ll tell you why.

You can see the astronaut on the Ramos Gate (north) of the new cathedral,on the left side.It was made in 1993,when Salamanca decided to restore the gate.It was the "year of the men ages" (Edades del Hombre).The people that did this job,gave this sign to the gate,as symbol of prosperity.
Apart from the astronaut,you can see a bull,and even an ice-cream that smiles.
On the right,near the door you can also see three figures that represent water,sky and earth,together with a crab,and a rabbit.

Good question. :)

Carousel

I'll check it out. I have loads of photos of Salamanca taken two weeks ago when I was there for their feria week.

Jane S

Okay...couple of things...first, the big, reddish faÃ§ade in your film...I don't think that's the Cathedral...I think that's in the Plaza Mayor, or the University.

Nevertheless, you aren't the first person to record this...

http://flickr.com/search/?q=Astronaut%20in%20salamanca%20cathedral&w=all

I'm going to do a bit more research, but I'm going to guess this is a joke some MODERN stonemason put into a repair job. Just a guess.

*edit* I added this last night! Don't know why it isn't still here, but the first photo on the above page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rumblefish/433651114/

confirms that it was added during a recent renovation.

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