Well I made im back!!! I didn't want to come back, but I had to. Madrid was great, Salamanca was awesome and Segovia is as pretty as ever. Oh, and Portugal was fun too. Question, In Salamanca, I found the astronaut on the building, but when was he actually put on the building. The building is very old. I never could find out over there. Does anyone know? I also found the frog. Good Luck for me....Glad to be back, but sad I'm not there.
Karen

It was put about 10 years ago when it was restaured. As sculptures where very deteriorated by the pass of time and the fact of being at hand, they restaured all of them and added one, the astronaut as a symbol of modern ages.

Thanks you so much!!! I knew there had to be a good reason! What a cool thing to add.
Karen!

here's something else interesting about the cathedral/astronaut: they also added a lizard, and he's eating an ice cream cone. I can't remember if it's above or below the astronaut. I think it's above, about a foot. it's pretty funny! my art history professor pointed it out to us last year on a tour. I don't know if you noticed also, but the tower of the cathedral is slightly tilting. There was an earthquake in Lisbon not long after it was built, so they had to build a support system around the outside of the tower, which they've made to be part of the tower. The original is still within. If you stand along the main street that runs from the plaza mayor to the cathedral you can totally tell that it's leaning ever so slightly! (I think that street is called la Rua or something).

VIVA SALAMANCA!

Great info, I'll check my pictures for the lizard. I just loved the city