Rana de Salamanca (Frog of Salamanca), Salamanca

Rana de Salamanca (Frog of Salamanca) (actually it is a toad) is an ornamental detail carved on the front of the building of the Escuelas Mayores of the University of Salamanca that over time has gained importance, to the point of being an icon of the city. It is the representation of a small frog located on top of a skull. Among the Plateresque detail of the university façade, and among its iconographic program, this ornament is popularly sought after and has gained prominence over time. Numerous legends have been described about the fate of the one who sees the frog first, among a group.

The cover of the University of Salamanca was finished carving in the year 1553. The carver's intention when putting this ornament has been discussed. Although there are different opinions on this. Already in ancient Egypt the allegory of the frog was associated with death. The frog appears on numerous occasions as an allegory related to lust: sin of the flesh.

Predating the popular Vision of Saint Paul in the 15th century, the serpent had this meaning of lust. Later, the frog appears with this meaning in allegorical representations, such is the case of the right portico of the Strasbourg Cathedral, where you can see a group of virgins seduced by the Prince of the World who leads an accompaniment of frogs and snakes after of yes. Similar representations are found in most Gothic Cathedrals. The lustful representation is also found in Bosch 's paintings: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Garden of Earthly Delights. The same can be seen in an author contemporary to the Salamanca façade and that is Henri met de Bles (also known as Il Civeta).