Salamanca has two cathedrals joined side by side. The Cathedral Vieja (Old Cathedral) was begun in the 12th century and is one of the finest Romanesque churches in Spain; its ornate Byzantine-influenced tower, the Torre del Gallo, is the defining feature of the city's skyline. Inside, the altarpiece has 53 painted panels by Nicolás Florentino dating from around 1445.
Built immediately alongside it, the Cathedral Nueva (New Cathedral) was begun in 1513 in late Gothic style and took over two centuries to complete; later sections incorporate baroque elements. It is notably larger than the Old Cathedral. Look carefully at the carved stonework around the Puerta de Ramos doorway on the north façade: during a 1992 restoration, the stonemason Jeronimo Garcia added a small figure of an astronaut in a spacesuit — a tradition of incorporating something from the contemporary world into restoration work. It has become the cathedral's most-photographed detail.
A combined ticket includes both cathedrals and access to the Ieronimus rooftop route, which gives outstanding views over the city and the Tormes valley.