The ancient Spanish city of Salamanca, situated on the banks of the River Tormes, is one of the oldest university towns in Europe with a rich and elegant collection of Renaissance, Roman, Gothic and Baroque monuments. Among them are two majestic cathedrals built between the 12th and 18th centuries. The New Cathedral, constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries, features late Gothic style with a Baroque styled cupola. The cathedral’s vaulted stone ceilings contain graceful paintings and its sandstone walls are intricately carved. But one element is peculiarly out of place and out of time.
Over the cathedral’s northern entrance, perched high among the ornate carvings, is the unmistakable figure of a tiny modern astronaut floating in space. He sits on a stalk complete with boots, helmet, and breathing apparatus on his back with tubes attached to the front of his suit.
Photographs of this astronaut figure has been circulating on the Internet via email, online forums and blogs for years now, generating a considerable amount of debate. Some skeptical commenters believe that the photograph is a fake and the astronaut was added using image manipulation software, while other observers suggest outlandish theories of ancient alien visits and time travel.
The figure of the astronaut exist for real, but it wasn’t carved in the 16th century but added much later during a restoration work that was done to the cathedral in 1992. The figure was purportedly added by stonemason Miguel Romero under the supervision of Jeronimo Garcia, the person responsible for the restoration, who reportedly chose an astronaut as a fitting symbol of the twentieth century. The use of this motif was in the tradition of cathedral builders and restorers who included contemporary motifs among older ones as a way of signing their works. Apparently, the astronaut isn’t the only contemporary symbol added to the cathedral’s facade. He is also accompanied by an ice-cream eating gargoyle grotesque, a lynx, a bull and a crayfish among others. Source
Apparently at the Puerta de Ramos of the Cathedral of Salamanca, several figures that are part of “their secrets” are gathered. We cannot leave out “a lucky rabbit” found there. It is claimed that the sculpture of this rabbit, or hare, gives luck to those who touch it, which is why it is already quite black, due to this contact, since the tourists who visit the Cathedral of Salamanca, do not miss an opportunity to rub it hoping to get lucky. A gypsy, who always begged at the doors of this Catholic structure, spread this belief.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
MICHAEL WALSH is a journalist, broadcaster and the author of RISE OF THE SUN WHEEL, EUROPE ARISE, TROTSKY’S WHITE NEGROES, MEGACAUST, DEATH OF A CITY, WITNESS TO HISTORY, THE BUSINESS BOOSTER , THE FIFTH COLUMN VOLUME I and II, FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK, IMMORTAL BELOVED, THE ALL LIES INVASION, INSPIRE A NATION Volume I, INSPIRE A NATION Volume II , SLAUGHTER OF A DYNASTY , REICH AND WRONG, THE RED BRIGANDS, RANSACKING THE REICH , SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD RIECH: ARNO BREKER AND REICH SCULPTORS , SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD RIECH: JOSEF THORAK AND REICH SCULPTORS , SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD REICH VOLUME III Porcelain and Reich Sculptors, The Exiled Duke Romanov Who Turned Desert Into Paradise , THE DOVETAILS , SEX FEST AT TIFFANY’S and other book titles. These illustrated best-selling books are essential for the libraries of informed readers.
MICHAEL WALSH NOVELS
The revenge of a predator is a city-vigilante epic better than Death Wish A LEOPARD IN LIVERPOOL , 55 lavishly illustrated first-hand stories by a Liverpool sailor THE LEAVING OF LIVERPOOL, Latest Killer-Thriller From Michael Walsh the City Vigilante Supremo The Stigma Enigma , A powerful thought-provoking paranormal romance The Soul Meets, How to form a naughty ménage a trois THE DOVETAILS and SEX FEST AT TIFFANY’S.
Latest Michael Walsh bestsellers: Those who fall victim to the taxman, banks and moneylenders are victims of legalised mugging DEBTOR’S REVENGE, The Business Booster shows you how to double your profits not your workload THE BUSINESS BOOSTER
MICHAEL WALSH is a journalist, author, and broadcaster. His 70 books include best-selling RHODESIA’S DEATH EUROPE’S FUNERAL, AFRICA’S KILLING FIELDS, THE LAST GLADIATORS, A Leopard in Liverpool, RISE OF THE SUN WHEEL, EUROPE ARISE, FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK, THE ALL LIES INVASION, INSPIRE A NATION Volume I, INSPIRE A NATION Volume II, and many other book titles. These illustrated best-selling books are essential for the libraries of informed readers.
The author’s books available for purchase by visiting his website BOOKSTORE, and POETRY links.
We are in debt to our donors who finance the distribution of spin-free real news and fearlessly expressed views.
KEEP REAL NEWS OPEN: Donate by using Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, registered mail or contact Michael Walsh: keyboardcosmetics@gmail.com or euroman_uk@yahoo.co.uk 2) Follow our blog. 3) Share our stories and 4) buy our author-signed books. 5) Receive free newsletters by writing subscribe to euroman_uk@yahoo.co.uk
BOOKS THAT CHALLENGE, INSPIRE, INFORM Michael Walsh, ‘Writer of the Year’ with a strong global following. Nearly 70 interesting Amazon book titles famed for changing and improving lives. CLICK TO VIEW
www.mikewalshwritingservices.wordpress.com
New stories every day!
EUROPE RENAISSANCE
https://europerenaissance.wordpress.com/
Categories: Art and Culture
