Of medieval atmosphere, its conception took place at a time when wars were happening, its construction was finished in 1180. That is why it has a strong defensive character. Its impressive walls made it a bomb shelter during the Spanish Civil War. They say that even Franco himself sought refuge within its walls.

Due to the influence of the University of Salamanca, the city increased its population and relevance significantly by the end of the 15th century. The Old Cathedral no longer had enough capacity and was too small for the needs of the moment. On the other hand, the Gothic had burst into the architecture scene, leaving as archaic buildings the Romanesque constructions. All this led to the construction of the New Cathedral in 1513, which became one of the largest cathedrals in Spain, and was completed two centuries later, in 1733. It is the tallest building in Salamanca and gathers the predominant styles of the different periods it was built: Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque.