Oviedo, the Capital of Asturias

Click here to view a photo gallery of ancient pre-Romanesque churches in Oviedo.

Oviedo is the beautiful capital city of the province of Asturias. There are about 200,000 people living in and around the city. When we visit Oviedo we fly from Madrid on the excellent airline, Aviaco, the domestic airline of Spain. We board the sleek MD 88's at Madrid and arrive in Asturias in a little over an hour. The airline is excellent, and takes you from a metropolitan city of around 3,000,000 to a beautiful and pastoral landscape. If you go there after Madrid you will think that you are in a peaceful haven away from the noise of the big city.

Oviedo dates from the 700's and was the home of King Alfonso II, who upon moving to the area began the building up of the city. The city was encircled by strong walls, and he ordered new buildings to be built, especially churches. This was the birth of pre-Romanesque Asturian art. There are several outstanding examples of the pre-Romanesque churches in existence in Oviedo today, and one must see them. Of particular note are Santa Maria de Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo, and San Julian de los Prados. These are very beautiful and date from the 800's. When you go to visit them try to visit on the day that the guide is there with the key so that you can enter. Your hotel desk is a good source for this information. San Julian has regular hours and is open more frequently than the others since it is an active parish church.


Santa Maria del Naranco, Oviedo

Naranco is my favorite. It is located on the slopes of Mt. Naranco, and was declared a national monument in 1881. The interior is divided into three sections. The lower story was formerly a chapel. There are two rectangular floors, an upper and a lower. It was originally the summer palace of Ramiro I. It has detailed stone construction and there are marvelous pillars on the interior of the lower story. These churches are indeed treasures and are over one thousand years old.

Oviedo has a new section and a contrasting old city. One can still walk through the old section and get a good impression of what life must have been like in its early thriving days. Of course, the tallest building in the old city is the cathedral, begun in the 14th century, on the site of a 9th century church. The high altar is especially beautiful and the many chapels are outstanding. The Camara Santa, or holy chamber, can be seen at certain hours. Again, review schedules to make sure it will be open when you visit. It contains a rich treasure of relics, including the famous Cross of Pelayo.