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Oviedo

oviedo

The former Ovetum has been closely linked to the Asturian monarchy since its foundation (8th century), and even became the capital of the Kingdom. This fact has left an unquestionable medieval flavour in the historic quarter, which in modern times has been given a carefully-considered urban layout which is easy to move around. An exceptional starting point to approach examples of pre-Romanesque art with World Heritage status, the coastline of the Costa Verde, incredible natural landscapes for all kinds of sports and, of course, a first-class gastronomic culture.

A pedestrian historic quarter makes strolling in Oviedo a pleasure, from the University to the Cathedral, and from the palace of the Marquis of San Félix to the Camposagrado. A walk littered with statues which appear on the pavements on sites of historic importance. To take a rest, there are a great many squares and small squares filled with chigres (cider bars).

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The tower of Oviedo’s Cathedral marks the starting point of any tour of the provincial capital. Built in the flamboyant Gothic style, its tower, rose window and entrance portico guard the greatest symbols of Asturias. The chapel of San Miguel, or Cámara Santa, houses the Holy Chest, the Cross of los Ángeles and the Cross of la Victoria, relics also visited by the pilgrims heading for the holy city of Santiago de Compostela. These symbols appear on the coats of arms of both Oviedo and the Principality of Asturias.

In the cathedral area we can see examples of some of the most significant buildings in Oviedo: the church of San Tirso, the Fine Arts Museum or the Archaeological Museum, these latter two housed in the former Velarde Palace and the convent of San Vicente. Given the impossibility of preserving a great many architectural features and sculptures in the pre-Romanesque style (8th- 10th centuries) in their places of origin, in buildings scattered among the valleys, mountains and small villages, pieces from these churches can be found in the Archaeological Museum. In this way, we can cover the entire history of art in Asturias from the Bronze Age, as well as seeing prehistoric, Roman, Visigothic and Romanesque collections.

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