Ornamental sandstones used in Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca: petrographic and chemical characterization of the quarry materials

Abstract

Petrographic and chemical study of the Ciudad Rodrigo (province of Salamanca, Spain) sandstones reveals the existence of several types of stone (Red, Brown, Striped, Nodular and White). To some extent all of them have been used in the construction of the historical part of this city. The proximity of the quarries to the city has meant that they have been used for such purposes since remote times. The types of stone display important chemical and mineralogical variations as a result of the many diagenetic processes they have been subjected to over time. These alterations are reflected in the different varieties, whose splendor can be fully appreciated in the masonry of the historical buildings comprising the architectural ensemble of the city.