Astronaut and monkey at the cathedral in Salamanca. Astronaut and monkey at the cathedral in Salamanca Spanish city Catholic cathedral astronaut
Yesterday I watched a film from the TuHistory channel about mysterious objects from another time. One of the stories tells about a strange bas-relief on the wall cathedral in Salamanca.
I have never been to Salamanca, but it is known that there are 2 magnificent cathedrals there. The New Cathedral is adjacent to the Old (12-14 centuries), and this New Cathedral is also not so new, it was built over 2 centuries between 1513 and 1733. And at the entrance to the New Cathedral, among the small bas-relief figures, something strange was discovered.
In the left row there is a figure resembling an astronaut, and in the right row there is a monkey with ice cream. Well, if a monkey can somehow be imagined as a demon with a strange object in his hand, then the astronaut cannot be interpreted in any other way. What could this mean? How could a 16th century sculptor depict an astronaut's costume in such detail? Was there time travel? Dream of the future? Aliens from extraterrestrial civilizations?
Having become interested in the program, I looked at materials on the Internet, including on the turbine.
Here on the site, at least 3 authors have written about this phenomenon, although their notes did not attract much attention.
Two weeks in Spain. Part 5: Salamanca
Salamanca is a university city, a church city...
I use photos from these notes to illustrate my thoughts.
Well, if a monkey with ice cream can be imagined as a demon with a torch, then the astronaut does not look like a demon at all. Let's take a closer look at the astronaut. His helmet, hoses, boots with mud treads are clearly from our era.
Of course, outside the cathedrals, in principle, demons, chimeras and other evil spirits were depicted, but the strict canons of the Catholic council 30 strictly regulated the appearance and objects that could be depicted inside and on the walls of churches. An artist or sculptor could not just draw a picture from the nightmare of his dreams, but had to coordinate it with the church council, and especially since this is not some kind of secluded church, but a cathedral.
But nevertheless, there is a figurine on the wall, photographs of the found phenomenon quickly spread throughout the world and active debates unfolded around it. Here are the options I was presented with:
1. If this is a time traveler, then he is from the near future, then a time machine will soon be invented.
2. If this picture is from the dreams of some soothsayer during the construction of the cathedral, then what a pity that humanity has lost these abilities.
3. If this is an alien who flew to earth in the past, then why didn’t he appear in the stories or paintings of artists of that time?
But it still looks more like falsification and forgery.
Tourists began to ask about this figurine, the guides began to make up stories and laugh it off, which nevertheless prompted scientists to conduct an investigation.
It didn't take long to dig. It was enough to talk to the restorers. The cathedral was restored in 1992. In place of the crumbling unknown bas-reliefs, new ones were created. In one of the new ones, it was decided to “post on the wall” of an architectural monument information about an important achievement of the 20th century - man’s entry into space. They didn’t hide the fact that the sketch was approved, but they didn’t advertise it either, they simply kept silent. So, when a few years later the astronaut was discovered, there was a sensation.
I don’t know how clearly the canons of the Council of Thirty are now followed during the restoration and construction of new churches, but at a minimum new fragments should be marked with something (in Mexico, for example, they are surrounded by a chain of small stones). The photo does not show any distinctive signs of restoration. It is probably beneficial for someone that the sensation continues to live. Also in the article by our colleague autilin it is mentioned “scientists from a local university unearthed sketches from the 17th century and there was already an astronaut there.” It looks like an attempt to grab the tail of a passing sensation. It is possible that the mosaic sketches were not so detailed, and there was something similar to them, but not so obvious, and the sculptor added “liveness”.
There was no worldwide sensation, unless we consider the concealment of the fact of modification of the image during reconstruction as a sensation.
Astronaut! On the wall of the ancient Spanish Cathedral of St. Jerome, built in 1102! Such notes with corresponding photographs have been discussed by the blogosphere for more than 10 years.The first thing that comes to mind is photoshop, but no, the astronaut is real. The figurine is a long-known artifact in the world. It is located in the Spanish city of Salamanca - it adorns one of the cathedrals. True, not the one that was built in 1102 - the so-called old cathedral(Catedral Vieja), and the later one is New (Catedral Nueva), built between 1513 and 1733. The difference of almost 500 years, it must be said, is not fundamental. And at that time there were no astronauts. And yet it is on the wall of the cathedral. And even in boots with grooved soles...
The sensation occurred after modern photo optics made it possible to distinguish small details of magnificent architectural decoration at high altitudes, previously inaccessible to tourist cameras.
It was then that the tourists spotted, among the mythical creatures on the bas-relief, someone who definitely couldn’t be there. As a result, historians and museum workers are forced to be nervous and answer simple-minded questions from perplexed tourists. The worst thing is that experts cannot develop a single version of what happened and do not coordinate their answers with each other.
The figure of the astronaut was first noticed in 1995. Sergio Arrell, deputy director of the cathedral museum, said that in 1990, sculptor-restorer Miguel Romero allowed himself a little “artistic prank.”
This was the most radical answer - other respondents are hesitant to go that far. Because the next question to Signor Arella will be “how many little pranks are committed by the “sculptor-restorers” and how much creative freedom is given during the “restoration”?” This is an extremely painful issue, since all architectural ensemble the center of Salamanca, including, of course, the cathedral, back in 1985, several years before the start of restoration, it was taken under the protection of UNESCO as a universal heritage, that is, recognized as one of the absolute masterpieces. All documents for the restoration of monuments of this level undergo many approvals, including international examination. Therefore, it is simply impossible to simply add medieval figures of an astronaut or anyone else to the garland.
Realizing that such slippery questions cannot be avoided, the vicar of the cathedral, Rodrigo Solanelles, takes a diametrically opposite position:
“The decoration of any Catholic church is built in strict accordance with the church canon developed in the early Middle Ages. There simply cannot be any “pranks” by individual artists - the diocese will never approve a heretical element of decor.”
In other words, there is no astronaut on the side gates of the cathedral, and anyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken. According to the priest, these are monsters common to the Middle Ages, of which there are countless numbers outside on Catholic churches. They, they say, symbolize the fiends of hell, which a person can encounter outside the temple, but there is no way for them inside the cathedral.
However, the vicar’s statements are not the strangest thing in this story. Esteban Sanza, a philosophy teacher at the University of Salamanca, is convinced that the figure was made no later than the 18th century, when the new building of the cathedral was being completed. He claims that the astronaut is in a 19th century engraving. But the engraving was not presented to the public.
By the way, a photograph from 1995 shows an astronaut with a completely intact face, and in photographs taken two years later, his face is seriously damaged by the inexorable passage of time.
Perhaps it is these contradictions that fuel interest in a story that is not so mysterious. After all, in principle, the placement of certain symbols characterizing the era during which the restoration is carried out is a very common practice. The only funny thing is that the sculptor simply chose a space theme.
The northern entrance to the Salamanca Cathedral is always crowded: groups of tourists linger near the portal framed by sculptures
Look at the figure of an astronaut,” the guide points to a small sculpture about two meters above the threshold. - This is a portrait of Neil Armstrong, who was the first to set foot on the surface of the Moon.
After standing on the porch of the cathedral for a quarter of an hour, I heard two more versions from different guides: this is John Glenn, the first American astronaut; Edward White, the first American to walk into outer space. In all cases, Spanish guides refer to a local restorer who, twenty years ago, decided to place a figurine of a space explorer at the entrance to the cathedral. Sergio Arrella, deputy director of the Cathedral Museum, commented on my bewilderment: yes, indeed, in 1990, the sculptor-restorer Miguel Romero allowed himself this little artistic prank.
Architect's joke or monster?
However, Rodrigo Solanelles, vicar of the cathedral, has a different version; he decisively rejected this “heresy”:
The decoration of any Catholic church is built in strict accordance with the church canon developed in the early Middle Ages. There simply cannot be any “pranks” by individual artists - the diocese will never approve a heretical element of decor.
- But how then did the astronaut get on the wall of the cathedral?
“Trust the guides less,” the padre remarked ironically. - This is a monster common to the Middle Ages, of which there are countless numbers outside on Catholic churches; they symbolize those fiends of hell that a person can encounter outside the church, but there is no way for them inside the cathedral.
Once again I look at the sculptural decoration of the northern portal. Indeed, to the right of the “astronaut” is a typical monster: a bearded monkey with a human look and a vulgarly protruding butt (see photo). This monster makes you want to immediately hide under the church canopy.
As for the controversial figure, perhaps not - after all, he is an astronaut: a classic spacesuit, like in the Museum of Cosmonautics at VDNKh; on the chest there is a box of some kind of device, and the transverse rings of the breathing hose are realistically drawn, and even the corrugated sole of the boots (see photo).
Adventures of the Monks
Esteban Sanza, a philosophy teacher at the University of Salamanca and at the same time the head of the Association of Authors of Alternative Scientific Concepts, is sure that the figure I’m interested in was made no later than the 18th century, when the new building of the cathedral was being completed. This confidence of his is strictly scientific basis: in the university library, Mr. Sansa’s students found an engraving from the early 19th century with a photographically accurate depiction of the entire sculptural decoration of the cathedral. So, the “astronaut” occupies the same place in this engraving as it does today. And in the manuscripts of the Renaissance there are several references to meetings of Salamancan monks with strange creatures, whose “skin is hidden under the outer skin.” It turns out that there is no arbitrariness of the restorer here.
It remains to add that the entire architectural ensemble of the center of Salamanca, including, of course, the cathedral, back in 1985, that is, several years before the start of its restoration, was taken under the protection of UNESCO as a universal heritage. All documents for the restoration of monuments of this level undergo many approvals, including international examination. Therefore, it is impossible to simply add medieval figures of an “astronaut” or anyone else to the garland.
It turns out that a strange monster, strikingly identical in appearance to the astronaut-astronaut, was made by masters of the Middle Ages (maximum of the 18th century). Another question: why? Maybe, in fact, impressed by the meeting with mysterious creatures with “skin hidden under the outer skin,” the masters decided to leave a memory of this unforgettable event?
At the ancient cathedral of Salamanca, located in Castile y Leon at the northern entrance to the new cathedral, where on the portal at the “Door of Ramos” (Puerta de Ramos), directly opposite the Anaya Palace, a modern one floats at a high altitude in “weightlessness”. an astronaut in full “combat” equipment - a spacesuit with a breathing hose, a helmet, an instrument box on the chest and boots with grooved soles. This figure even received an unofficial name - “Holy Cosmonaut”.
Where did this astronaut on the wall of the ancient cathedral come from? The explanation is quite simple: in 1992, during the restoration of the Ramos doors, which had become dilapidated from time to time, one of the restorers, a certain Miguel Romero, showed creative initiative by decorating the wall with a similar figure. Further, the versions differ: some believe that the restorer decided to play a joke in this way. Others have a more pragmatic explanation: Romero, having introduced a modern element to the façade of the ancient temple, wanted in a similar way to perpetuate a significant event for the 20th century - the conquest of space by man. But who exactly the figure represents, there are many versions. The following stone characters appear: the first cosmonaut of the planet, Russian Yuri Gagarin, the first American astronaut John Glenn, the first American to go into outer space Edward White, the first American astronaut Neil Armstrong to set foot on the surface of the Moon, etc.
Nevertheless, many people are inclined to believe that the figure of the astronaut was here originally, and, therefore, has a mysterious origin that goes beyond ordinary logic. They say that the restorers' joke in this case is excluded for a number of reasons. Firstly, the image of the astronaut is recorded in engravings of the 19th century. Secondly, in ancient manuscripts of Salamanca there is supposedly information about meetings of monks with creatures from other worlds. Thirdly, restoration always follows the canons approved in the Middle Ages, and in the case of an object that is a UNESCO heritage, additional examinations, approvals and permits are required. They also say that and this is not an astronaut at all, but some kind of hellish spawn, of which quite a few “live” on the walls, facades and capitals of columns of ancient European churches.
A number of other similar finds are cited as proof of the “miraculous” version of the astronaut’s origin. For example, images of astronauts on Japanese netsuke, a model of an airplane from an ancient Egyptian tomb, Incan gold “airplanes”, an image of Darth Vader on the National Cathedral in Washington, as well as an image of a man with a laptop and a mobile phone on the mosaic of the Kyiv Koltsevaya metro station in Moscow, built back in 1954.
It must be said that on the wall of the Cathedral in Salamanca there are other, less well-known, but no less interesting figures. For example, a figure of a smiling dragon with three scoops of ice cream. Or a boy with a non-childishly developed manhood.
Guides and tour guides are in no hurry to convince fans of the “miraculous” version of the appearance of an astronaut on the wall of an ancient temple. After all, most importantly, intrigued tourists come here, replenishing the local treasury.
And finally, here's to you figure from the walls of Paisley Abbey in Scotland, located near Glasgow, in which all the gargoyle statues were removed for the purpose of restoration. Some figures were restored, while others simply had to be made anew. One of the restorers did his best by making a statue of an alien from the movie “Alien.”
The figurine is a long-known artifact in the world. It is located in the Spanish city of Salamanca - it adorns one of the cathedrals.
Astronaut! On the wall of the ancient Spanish Cathedral of St. Jerome, built in 1102! Such notes with corresponding photographs have been discussed by the blogosphere for more than 10 years.
The first thing that comes to mind is photoshop, but no, the astronaut is real. The figurine is a long-known artifact in the world. It is located in the Spanish city of Salamanca - it adorns one of the cathedrals.
True, not the one that was built in 1102 - the so-called Old Cathedral (Catedral Vieja), but the later one - the New Cathedral (Catedral Nueva), built between 1513 and 1733. The difference of almost 500 years, it must be said, is not fundamental. And at that time there were no astronauts. And yet it is on the wall of the cathedral. And even in boots with grooved soles...
The sensation occurred after modern photo optics made it possible to distinguish small details of magnificent architectural decoration at high altitudes, previously inaccessible to tourist cameras.
It was then that the tourists spotted, among the mythical creatures on the bas-relief, someone who definitely couldn’t be there. As a result, historians and museum workers are forced to be nervous and answer simple-minded questions from perplexed tourists. The worst thing is that experts cannot develop a single version of what happened and do not coordinate their answers with each other.
The figure of the astronaut was first noticed in 1995. Sergio Arrell, deputy director of the cathedral museum, said that in 1990, sculptor-restorer Miguel Romero allowed himself a little “artistic prank.” 
This was the most radical answer - other respondents are hesitant to go that far. Because the next question to Signor Arella will be “how many little pranks are committed by the “sculptor-restorers” and how much creative freedom is given during the “restoration”?”
This is an extremely painful issue, since the entire architectural ensemble of the center of Salamanca, including, of course, the cathedral, back in 1985, several years before the start of restoration, was taken under the protection of UNESCO as a universal heritage, that is, recognized as one of the absolute masterpieces.
All documents for the restoration of monuments of this level undergo many approvals, including international examination. Therefore, it is simply impossible to simply add medieval figures of an astronaut or anyone else to the garland.
Realizing that such slippery questions cannot be avoided, the vicar of the cathedral, Rodrigo Solanelles, takes a diametrically opposite position:
“The decoration of any Catholic church is built in strict accordance with the church canon developed in the early Middle Ages. There simply cannot be any “pranks” by individual artists - the diocese will never approve a heretical element of decor.”
In other words, there is no astronaut on the side gates of the cathedral, and anyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken. According to the priest, these are monsters common to the Middle Ages, of which there are countless numbers outside on Catholic churches. They, they say, symbolize the fiends of hell, which a person can encounter outside the temple, but there is no way for them inside the cathedral.
However, the vicar’s statements are not the strangest thing in this story. Esteban Sanza, a philosophy teacher at the University of Salamanca, is convinced that the figure was made no later than the 18th century, when the new building of the cathedral was being completed. He claims that the astronaut is in a 19th century engraving. But the engraving was not presented to the public.
By the way, a photograph from 1995 shows an astronaut with a completely intact face, and in photographs taken two years later, his face is seriously damaged by the inexorable passage of time.
Perhaps it is these contradictions that fuel interest in a story that is not so mysterious. After all, in principle, the placement of certain symbols characterizing the era during which the restoration is carried out is a very common practice. The only funny thing is that the sculptor simply chose a space theme.