10 Must-Visit Art Galleries In Salamanca, Spain

One of Salamanca’s most memorable sights, the Casa de las Conchas should not be omitted from any itinerary. After admiring the building’s unique 15th-century façade covered in chunky stone seashells (conchas), visitors should enter the pillared courtyard and ascend the stairs at the back to the upper gallery, which serves as a special exhibition venue. Admire paintings, photographs and sculptures by respected Spanish and international figures. Exhibitions change regularly, often corresponding with seasons or local festivals.

The Sala de Exposiciones La Salina is another fantastic backdrop. A 16th century Renaissance palace supposedly built to house the mistress of the famous Archbishop Fonseca (although this legend has since been thrown into doubt), it is the perfect place to take photos as well as visit the thriving government-run gallery to which it plays host. This small gallery places an emphasis on promoting the work of Spanish artists and welcomes a real variety of genres and media. Moreover, it sometimes incorporates more traditional work alongside contemporary pieces, making for a satisfyingly diverse visit. Sala de Exposiciones La Salina | © José Luis Filpo Cabana/WikiCommons

Inaugurated in 1952, this central gallery was the city’s first venue devoted exclusively to modern art. Galería Artis remains open to all kinds of creation, with a long list of locally and nationally renowned painters, collagists, sculptors and more contributing regularly to its exhibitions. With its well-established reputation and convenient location, this is a perfect place to go for those who want to become acquainted with some of Spain’s latest artistic successes.

In contrast to Artis, the Benito Esteban Gallery is one of Salamanca’s newest exhibition spaces, but it has quickly developed a name for itself as a reliable location to discover regional talent. Since its inauguration in 2003, its bi-monthly exhibitions have featured work by 16 different artists, with painting, drawing, photography and sculpture all well represented. The aim is to give exposure to those from Castilla y León who are just embarking on their careers, so visitors should come here if they want the new, the promising and the unique.

Originally housed in Madrid, this popular small gallery moved to Salamanca in 2004. Having forsaken its previous premises in the touristy Calle San Pablo due to its founder’s wish to engage more with the city’s permanent residents, Galería Adora Calvo can now be found in the central but quiet Calle Arco, where visitors can enjoy exploring the bi-monthly and tri-monthly exhibitions. The gallery’s program has demonstrated a careful balance between individual showcases and interesting combinations of different artists’ work. Adora Calvo is known to play a significant role in rewarding and encouraging talent, being the only gallery in the region to have taken part in the ARCO Fair (one of Europe’s most prestigious contemporary art events, held in Madrid) for the past few years.

Moving outside of the city center, DA2 is undoubtedly a key venue for contemporary art fans in Salamanca as a whole. Built in a former prison to celebrate the city’s year as the 2002 European Capital of Culture, its focus is on individuals’ work, with regular showcases by the very best young artists from Spain and beyond. Notable past contributors have included Mona Hatoum, Sam Taylor-Wood, Franz Ackermann and Chris Cunningham. The center is also involved in promoting work from the Castilla y León region and collaborates on various projects to that end. Perhaps the highlight of its work, however, is the once- or twice-yearly collective exhibition centered around a theme. Choices of theme have been diverse, ranging from Niños (‘Children’) in 2003, to Laocoonte Devorado: Arte y violencia política (‘Laocoön Devoured: Art and Political Violence’) in 2006 to 2014’s Uno de cada(‘One of each’), which explored the diverse mediums that interest today’s artists by displaying works made in everything from iron to ceramics to watercolor.

Worth seeking out in its slightly off-the-beaten-track location, this museum pays tribute to perhaps Salamanca’s most famous modern artist, Zacarías González (1923-2003). This painter (who should not be confused with Zacarías González Velázquez, a prominent figure in 18th and 19th century Spanish art) was born in the city and felt a strong attachment to it throughout his life, which the city authorities reciprocated, awarding him the Medalla de Oro de Salamanca (Gold Medal of Salamanca) in 1986. His reputation extended well beyond his native area, however, with his works being exhibited in several European countries and in Latin America.The museum is inside the house he shared with his sister Basilisa for 22 years and most rooms have been preserved as they were in his lifetime. The experience therefore carries a double attraction for the visitor: not only can you enjoy a permanent exhibition of some of Zacarías González’s excellent paintings, but you will also have the unique opportunity of seeing them in the context where they were created.

Another small gallery well-liked by the city’s art-lovers, Galería Annia concentrates exclusively on representational works (that is, works that portray people or objects in an immediately recognizable manner). It holds both permanent and temporary exhibitions, which feature a pleasing mixture of paintings, sculptures and engravings, predominantly by respected Spanish artists. The gallery is also ideally placed for those wanting to go on to try the top-quality tapas in the nearby Calle van Dyck, one of Salamanca’s most popular locations.

This well-established, reputable gallery, just a short walk to the north of the city center, houses a real variety of works by Spanish and international artists. In the recent past it has attracted some very prestigious paintings indeed, by figures as renowned as Pablo Picasso, Antonio Saura and León Battista Alberti. Its temporary exhibitions change every month, so if you are going to be in Salamanca for a while, it will stand up well to repeat visits. Museo del Hormigón | © Ángel Manuel Mateos/WikiCommons

For those who are willing to venture a little further during their stay, this unusual museumis situated in the village of Doñinos, about seven kilometers to the west of Salamanca. It is dedicated to the work of the sculptor Ángel Mateos (1931-present), whose highly regarded constructions in concrete (hormigónin Spanish) can be seen in a variety of locations across Spain. Housed in one of his actual sculptures, meant to represent an ants’ nest, the museum has three rooms, each of which contains scale models of some of his greatest achievements. Visitors interested in getting a glimpse of the output of one of Spain’s most admired sculptors should not miss this.