The Cathedral Astronomer
Two cathedrals, an astronaut and the mysteries of the sky
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
Salamanca has two cathedrals joined together — and on the newer one, an astronaut carved in stone. It's not a mystery: it's a wink. But the real mysteries of these cathedrals run much deeper.
When stone looks at the stars
The Catedral Vieja (12th century) and the Catedral Nueva (16th-18th century) coexist, literally nested within each other. The old one contains an altarpiece of 53 painted panels and a fresco of the Last Judgement. The new one features the famous astronaut figure, added during a 1992 restoration by a playful sculptor.
« "Two cathedrals back to back, like two eras gazing at each other without understanding — yet they share the same roof." »— — Anonymous visitor, 20th century
From the Romanesque vault to the astronaut
The Catedral Vieja, consecrated in the 12th century, is a Romanesque jewel. Its cimborrio — the Torre del Gallo — is a scale-patterned dome inspired by Byzantine architecture. The altarpiece by Nicolás Florentino (1445) depicts 53 scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin, crowned by a striking Last Judgement.
In the 16th century, the canons wanted a bigger, taller, more Gothic cathedral. But instead of demolishing the old one, they built the new one directly alongside — and even around it. The two buildings still coexist, linked by interior passages few visitors know about.
The astronaut on the Catedral Nueva was added in 1992 during a restoration of the Puerta de Ramos. Tradition holds that restorers add a contemporary element to their work — like a period signature. The astronaut went viral before the Internet age, fuelling decades of fanciful theories.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
4 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
The viral astronaut
Salamanca's most photographed detail — and one of its most misunderstood.
Two cathedrals in one
A unique architectural phenomenon: two cathedrals from different centuries, literally nested together.
Astronomy & symbolism
The game links the modern astronaut to the real astronomers of the medieval University.
Exceptional altarpiece
The 53 panels by Nicolás Florentino are one of the overlooked treasures of Spanish art.
Past and future gaze at each other in the same stone.
Find the astronaut. Uncover the real mystery.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Is The Cathedral Astronomer similar to a treasure hunt?
Same spirit: search, deduce, find. But here the "treasure" is a full story to piece together in eight stops. Each stop gives you a fragment of the final code. Eight fragments later, you've cracked it.
Q02Can we split The Cathedral Astronomer across two days?
Yes — your code stays active and progress is saved. You can start Saturday afternoon, finish Sunday morning. Some players actually prefer this format to make the most of a full weekend on site.
Q03Is The Cathedral Astronomer suitable for a challenge-seeking teen?
Absolutely. The puzzles aren't obvious — a curious teen will sweat just enough to be proud of cracking them. Progressive hints prevent frustration: if stuck, unlock hint level 1, then 2, then 3.
Q04What if we get stuck on a puzzle?
Three hint levels per puzzle, with a small increasing time penalty. If truly stuck after level 3, you can skip the step (45-min penalty). The point: nobody stays blocked and goes home frustrated.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
An escape game between two cathedrals and eight centuries of history — where a stone astronaut guides you to the real secrets of Salamanca.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+12 TripCoins granted with your booking
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