Last week, after having an ice-cream at the famous "Novelty" glacier, located in the Plaza Mayor, we visited the garden of Calixto and Melibea. This excursion was one of Tia Tula’s cultural activities which are offered on a daily basis. Katy, the person who accompanied us, briefly told us the story of the garden which is related to a book named "La Celestina". The story interested me and since I wanted to know more, I did some research and here's what I found.
The original title of "La Celestina" is "The comedy of Calixto and Melibea" title given to the book in its first edition in 1499. There is also a longer version titled "The tragicomedy of Calixte and Melibea" published in 1502. This is one of the most read and most commented upon book in the Spanish literature books. It was written by Fernando de Rojas while he was studying at Salamanca.
This work tells the story of Calixto, a young nobleman who falls for Melibea, but she rejects him. On the advice of his servant, Calixto asks for help from Celestine, an old ex-prostitute and witch who was used to playing matchmaker. Celestine called the devil to bewitch Melibea and makes her falls in love with Calixto… However, I will not reveal to you the end of the story for those that have not read the book and want to J
As the legend became very popular, people started looking for the specific site where the story could have taken place. As the author wrote the book while living in Salamanca, people decided that the garden of history was that of Salamanca, which is why it is now called Garden of Calixto and Melibea!
I invite you to read the book, and if you are student at Tia Tula, you can find it in our library.
Claire, Intern at Tia Tula
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