Oviedo tourist information - Asturias, Spain

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OVIEDO Information, Asturias, Spain

For almost two centuries Oviedo was capital of the first of the Spanish kingdoms, and the city conserves its history well. Located in the geographical centre of the region, and perched between rivers in a privileged setting only a few minutes from the sea, Oviedo is also a cultured, active, human city, in tune with its people and incorporating all the subtleties of ancestry into its popular appeal. History has favoured it with monumental elements, parts of which have been declared a World Heritage site.

The Cathedral was built on the site of Romanesque or pre-Romanesque remains, and its tower is an integral part of the city's identity. Most of the temple's building work took place in the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, with a clear predominance of the florid Gothic style. Despite incorporating later buildings, the three naves, with chapels and ambulatory, concentrate the attention of the faithful on the high chapel. Other chapels, the crypt, the sixteenth-century altarpiece by Francisco Giralte and Juan de Valmaseda, the cloister and sacristy all pay tribute to the Camara Santa or Holy Chamber of the San Salvador church, built in the ninth century by Alfonso II 'the Chaste' to house the Holy Ark, with relics from all over Spain saved from the Islamic invasion. This tradition spread throughout the Peninsula, and the site became a place of pilgrimage, for a time competing with Santiago de Compostela.

The Cathedral's architecture was enriched in the twelfth century, when the pairs of apostles appearing to talk among themselves were added. To some critics, these sculptures combine the finest qualities of all the European Romanesque styles. For some time it was thought that the relics of the Camara Santa were as significant and numerous as all the rest to be found in Spain. Worthy of mention are: the Cruz de los Angeles (Cross of Angels), from 808, in gold-plated cedar wood with precious stones, some dating from Imperial Roman times; the Cruz de la Victoria (Victoria Cross), from 908, larger than the Cruz de los Angeles and made entirely from gold, with a cloisonne enamel veneer and precious stones (since the eighteenth century it has formed part of the Asturias coat of arms, symbolising the cross of Pelagius in the battle of Covadonga); and the Arqueta de las Agatas or Chest of Agates from 910, a gift from Fruela II, with precious stones and embossed gold, influenced by the Umayyad style.

Around the cathedral are several other interesting buildings. San Tirso del Real contains pre-Romanesque elements from the ninth century in the apse, the base of the tower and the occasional wall. The Palacio de la Rua, from the late fifteenth century, has a certain defensive appearance, despite being a palace. The balls in the eaves and the large stone ashlars add character to the decoration. The University was built between 1572 and 1608 in a classicist style. The architect Gil de Hontafi6n was involved in the project. An outstanding element is the elegant and simple courtyard. On the ground floor the gallery of round arches holds up a structure based on lintels and with profusely decorated columns.

The Asturias Archaeology Museum is housed in the Benedictine San Vicente monastery, built in the sixteenth century on the site of older buildings (possibly from the eighth century). It contains interesting prehistoric collections (many from Asturias itself), exhibits from the Iron-Age culture, the Roman era, and all the medieval periods. Housed in two palaces (from the seventeenth and eighteenth century, respectively), the Fine Art Museum features paintings by major Asturian artists, such as Oario de Regoyos and Piñole. The museum is also a fine example of European painting from the fifteenth century through to modern times. Many visitors to Oviedo wish to visit the Teatro Campoamor, the venue for the annual Principe de Asturias awards ceremony. Built in 1890, the theatre stages major theatrical and operatic performances, featuring talented artists from both genres.

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