SAN CRISTÓBAL-LAS CLARAS NEIGHBORHOOD

The Bretón Neighborhood is located in the eastern part of Salamanca's historic center. It extends along the slope that descends from San Cristóbal Hill to Gran Vía, beneath which the Santo Domingo Stream, once a deep natural gully separating this hill from the Teso de las Catedrales, flows channeled. The topography itself gave rise to a series of very steep streets that descend from Canalejas towards Gran Vía, such as Sancti Spíritus, Grillo —extended into San Justo—, or Las Claras.

After the repopulation of Salamanca promoted by Raymond of Burgundy in 1102, the city was organized into colaciones or parishes formed by settlers of various origins. The privileges and concessions granted by the kings of León to favor settlement in the newly incorporated lands south of the Duero attracted very heterogeneous populations. The lack of space within the first walled enclosure forced many of these groups to establish their parishes outside the walls. Only after 1147, with the construction of the second wall, were these parishes integrated into the so-called Cerca Nueva (New Enclosure).

On San Cristóbal Hill, the parishes of Sancti Spíritus, San Cristóbal, San Román, Santo Tomás Cantuariense, and San Esteban were founded. The first Romanesque churches built in this sector gave rise to suburbs where Toreses and Portuguese settlers established themselves. The difficulty in populating these peripheral areas led to their donation to various military orders, tasked with promoting their repopulation. Over time, some of these parishes and hermitages evolved into large convents and monasteries, such as the Comendadoras de Santiago, the Convent of Santa Clara, or the Convent of San Esteban.

For centuries, the neighborhood was predominantly inhabited by a Moorish population, largely engaged in the weaving trade. After their expulsion in 1610, the area was virtually deserted and greatly depopulated.
Part of the old housing stock —consisting of low or single-story houses— remained standing well into the 20th century. However, the city's demographic growth led to its replacement by large blocks of apartments of no particular architectural interest. Nevertheless, among them survive small squares that preserve a valuable artistic heritage, composed mainly of ancient parishes and convents of medieval origin.

ITINERARY
1.- Start: Sancti Spiritus Church.
• Founded around 1190 in the Toreses neighborhood and later donated to the Order of Santiago.
• 16th-century temple, a mix of late Gothic and Plateresque styles.
• Main altarpiece and Chapel of the Cristo de los Milagros, with an exceptional Mudejar coffered ceiling.

2.- A brief and pleasant walk leads to San Cristóbal Square
• 12th-century Romanesque church
• Anthropomorphic tombs carved into the rock, remains of the ancient necropolis.
• Modern sculpture of San Cristóbal, by Valeriano Hernández.
• Saint Vincent Ferrer preached here in 1412.
• At the lower part of the square is the Hermitage of La Misericordia

3.- Descent towards Bretón Square
• Square dedicated to the composer Tomás Bretón (1850), author of La Verbena de la Paloma.
• Site of the old Bretón Theater, an ancient Corral de comedias (open-air theater) since 1596, demolished in 2009.

4.- Continue towards San Román Square:
• Convent of Santa Clara, with over 800 years of history, its medieval painting museum is open for visits.
• Remains of the old San Román parish (1126).
• Vestiges of the Anatomical Amphitheater and the Hospital de la Santísima Trinidad.
• Gallery of the old palace of the Count of Francos.

5.- Church of Santo Tomás Cantuariense:
• Built in 1175, considered the first church in Christendom dedicated to Saint Thomas Becket.

6.- A few meters away is the Calatrava College (today Home of the Church), a Baroque work initiated by Joaquín de Churriguera.

7.- The Convent of San Esteban (Dominican Fathers) provides the grand finale to the tour.
• Church with a monumental Plateresque facade, conceived as a stone altarpiece. Its main chapel is presided over by José de Churriguera's altarpiece.
• Claustro de los Reyes (Kings' Cloister), Soto Staircase, and choir with a fresco by Palomino.
• Christopher Columbus stayed here.
• Intellectual center of the School of Salamanca, with figures such as Francisco de Vitoria and Domingo de Soto.

This itinerary allows visitors to explore one of Salamanca's oldest and lesser-known neighborhoods, where Romanesque temples, convents, tranquil squares, and medieval corners have survived the passage of centuries.

The visit can begin at the Church of Sancti Spiritus, founded around 1190 in the neighborhood of the Toreses settlers. In 1223, Alfonso IX handed it over to the Order of Santiago with the task of repopulating the lands located between the gates of San Mateo and Sancti Spiritus. The current temple, built in the 16th century, combines elements of late Gothic and Plateresque styles. Inside, highlights include the main altarpiece and the old conventual choir, now the chapel of the Cristo de los Milagros, which preserves a magnificent 16th-century Mudejar coffered ceiling.

From there, the path leads to San Cristóbal Square, located at the top of the hill of the same name. The church, founded in the mid-12th century in the territory of the Toreses settlers, first passed to the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and later to the commandery of St. John of Jerusalem. Although it has undergone numerous reforms, it retains its Romanesque structure of a single nave and three apses, as well as characteristic Romanesque corbels. At the head of the temple, anthropomorphic tombs carved into the rock can be seen, remains of the ancient medieval necropolis. The square, reformed in the 20th century when the church was restored, preserves a cobblestone staircase and houses a bronze sculpture of San Cristóbal, created by the sculptor Valeriano Hernández.

At the lower part of the square is the old Hermitage of La Misericordia. It served as a hospital, pilgrim's hostel, headquarters of a brotherhood that assisted death row inmates, and, in the 20th century, a cinema and printing press. After years of abandonment, tourist apartments have been built inside.

The route continues towards Bretón Square, in whose vicinity the Salamancan musician Tomás Bretón, author of the famous zarzuela "La verbena de la Paloma", was born in 1850. His memory remains in the plaque marking the location of his birthplace and in the bust that presides over the square, a work by González Macías.
In this same space stood the historic Bretón Theater, built in 1596 as a corral de comedias (open-air theater) and later known as the Hospital Theater, as the income obtained was used to maintain the neighboring Hospital de la Santísima Trinidad. In 1890, it adopted its current name and for decades was one of the city's main stages. It closed in 2003 and was demolished in 2009; since then, the site remains unused.

Very close by is San Román Square, whose name comes from the old parish founded here in 1126. Today it is a space where constructions from different eras coexist. In the upper part is the Convent of Santa Clara, with over eight hundred years of history, currently home to the Conventual Museum of Santa Clara of Medieval Painting. The southern facade of the square is formed by the remains of the San Román parish; the tower of the old Anatomical Amphitheater and the gallery that belonged to the patio of the palace of the Count of Francos. All these elements were integrated into the old General Hospital of the Holy Trinity, which in the 20th century became the College of the Servants of Saint Joseph.

The visit can continue along Calle de los Mártires and Calle de la Marquesa de Almarza until reaching the Church of Santo Tomás Cantuariense, located in the old neighborhood of the Portuguese settlers. According to tradition, it was built in 1175 by the English brothers Richard and Ranulf and consecrated to Saint Thomas Becket shortly after his canonization. It is considered the first church in the world dedicated to this English saint. Its beautiful Romanesque chancel, formed by three semicircular apses, is one of its most characteristic elements.

In the vicinity, several minor university colleges existed: such as Santo Tomás, from which shields and various reused elements are still preserved in a modern building, or San Ildefonso and Santa Catalina, now converted into private dwellings.

Very close by stands the magnificent building of the College of the Immaculate Conception of the Military Order of Calatrava, begun in 1717 by Joaquín de Churriguera and continued in neoclassical style by Jerónimo García de Quiñones. Today it houses the Casa de la Iglesia (Home of the Church), seat of the Diocese of Salamanca.

The itinerary ends at the Convent of San Esteban, one of Salamanca's most outstanding monumental complexes. Its Plateresque facade, conceived as a large stone altarpiece, represents the martyrdom of Saint Stephen. Inside, highlights include the main altarpiece made by José de Churriguera, the Claustro de los Reyes (Kings' Cloister), the Escalera de Soto (Soto Staircase), and the choir with a large fresco by Palomino. San Esteban was an important intellectual center: Christopher Columbus stayed here between 1486 and 1487, and figures such as Domingo de Soto and Francisco de Vitoria, initiator of the School of Salamanca and considered the father of Human Rights and International Law, taught here.