The Astronaut sculpted in the New Cathedral, Salamanca

Several sites say that this astronaut is a mystery, but it is not. The New Cathedral of Salamanca (Spain) was constructed between the 16th in and 18th centuries in two styles: late Gothic and Baroque. Building began in 1513 and the cathedral was consecrated in 1733. It was commissioned by Ferdinand V of Castile of Spain. It was declared a national monument by royal decree in 1887.

Its main entrance consists of 3 arcs, each leading to the 3 naves (sections) of the church. All three are richly carved. Among the ornate carvings on the facade is the incongruous likeness of an astronaut floating in space; it was added by an artist during restoration work in 1992 as a symbol of the 20th century.

The Astronaut wasn’t the only weird detail, they also added a Dragon eating an ice-cream:

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Post author: Daniel Semper