The official language of Spain consists of 74% Castilian Spanish (official), 17 % Catalan, 7% Galician, and 2% Basque.
MAJOR RELIGION(S): Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%.
MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS: Composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types.
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The cultures of Spain are European cultures based on a variety of historical influences, primarily that of Ancient Rome, but also the pre-Roman Celtic and Iberian culture, and that of the Phoenicians and the Moors. In the areas of language and religion, the Ancient Romans left a lasting legacy.
Spain has an extraordinary artistic heritage. The dominant figures of the Golden Age were the Toledo-based artists El Greco and Diego Velázquez. Francisco de Goya emerged in the 18th century as Spain's most prolific painter and he produced some wonderfully unflattering portraits of royalty. The art world in the early 20th century was influenced by a remarkable group of Spanish artists: Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, Joan Miró and Salvador Dalí, ambassadors of the artistic culture in Spain.
The city is also home to the Archivo General de la Guerra Civil Espanola, which is the archive for the Spanish Civil War. This was assembled during the rule of Fascist dictator Francisco Franco.
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One of Salamanca's most known traditions are the Easter celebrations. In this week-long festival, religious, medieval, and pagan elements are shown. The Monday after Easter is celebrated through the city, known as Monday of the Waters (Lunes de Aguas.) People usually have a family picnic where they eat Hornazo.