Who was Miguel de Unamuno?
Unamuno was a quintessential intellectual. His life spanned the 19th and 20th centuries; he lived exactly 36 years in each.
Books (2022)Unamuno House-Museum, Salamanca University
A tenacious author
Unamuno, through his work could masterfully narrate the social, cultural, and political events of the period in which he lived, as an active protagonist and direct witness.
Portrait of Don Miguel de Unamuno (1981) by Josefina Pérez de la TorreUnamuno House-Museum, Salamanca University
The world's first "nivola"
A member of the so-called Generation of 98, Miguel de Unamuno developed a large variety of literary genres. He wrote novels, poetry, essays, theater, travel literature … In 1914, he even wrote a piece entitled Mist (Niebla) for which he conceived his own style: the nivola.
Gathering on the terrace of the café La Rotonde (c.1925)Unamuno House-Museum, Salamanca University
International Dimension
An exceptional figure by all accounts. Miguel de Unamuno's stature and work were acclaimed in countries around the world. His works were translated into numerous languages, and his reputation as an orator and thinker crossed borders.
Senior Schools Courtyard (2020)Unamuno House-Museum, Salamanca University
Professor, chancellor, and man of letters
In 1891, he became the youngest ever professor at the University of Salamanca. In 1900, he was appointed chancellor; a position he held until 1914. His legacy was so formidable that he would be re-elected on two more occasions.
Miguel de Unamuno in the Republican Circle of Vitoria (September 23, 1931)Unamuno House-Museum, Salamanca University
Truth before peace
The outbreak of the civil war in 1936 plunged Unamuno into a deep grief. He struggled to recover. His opposition to the established regime was commemorated when he proclaimed at the University of Salamanca: "To win is not to win over."
Unamuno sitting inside his house surrounded by his grandchildren (c.1932)Unamuno House-Museum, Salamanca University
Family life
A homebody and family man, he enjoyed spending time with his numerous children and his beloved wife, Concha, who was a constant support to him whenever work allowed.
Photographic composition with origami figuresUnamuno House-Museum, Salamanca University
Leisure moments
Traveling, walking, or making paper figures were his most practiced pastimes. In addition to words, his pen also produced striking drawings, which today form an interesting collection.
Romm Desk (2018)Unamuno House-Museum, Salamanca University
His House-Museum
Today, the Unamuno House Museum holds his legacy and is a center for the study of his life and work in the university city of Salamanca, where he lived most of his life.
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