Page 112 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

110  NOR THERN SP AIN

7 Oviedo handsome old palaces. On this art including two crosses and
square is situated the Flamboy ant a reliquary – all made of gold,
Asturias. * 220,000. £ @ n Plaza
de la Constitución 4, 984 49 35 63. Gothic cathedral (see p28) with silver and precious stones.
( Thu, Sat & Sun. _ San Mateo its high tower and asym metrical Also situated in the Plaza
(14–21 Sep). ∑ turismoviedo.es west façade. Inside are tombs Alfonso II is the Iglesia de
of Asturian kings and a majestic San Tirso. This church was
Oviedo, a university city and the 16th-century gilded reredos. The originally constructed in the
cultural and commercial capital cathedral’s supreme treasure is 9th century, but subsequent
of Asturias, stands on a raised the Cámara Santa, a restored restorations have left the east
site on a fertile plain. The nearby 9th-century chapel containing window as the only surviving
coal mines have made it an statues of Christ and the apostles. Pre-Romanesque feature.
important industrial centre The chapel also houses many Sited behind the cathedral
since the 19th century. It retains works of 9th-century Asturian is the Museo Arqueológico,
some of the atmosphere of that housed in the old Benedictine
time, as described by Leopoldo monastery of San Vicente, with
Alas (“Clarín”) in his great novel its fine cloisters. It contains local
La Regenta (see p39). prehistoric, Romanesque and
In and around Oviedo are Pre-Romanesque treasures.
many Pre-Romanesque build- The Museo de Bellas Artes,
ings. This style flourished in the in Velarde Palace, has a good
8th–10th centuries and was range of Asturian and Spanish
confined to a small area of the paintings, such as Carreño’s
kingdom of Asturias, one of portrait of Carlos II (see p74)
the few enclaves of Spain and others by Greco, Goya,
not invaded by the Moors. Dalí, Miró and Picasso.
The nucleus of the medieval Two of the most magnificent
city is the stately Plaza Alfonso II, Cross of Angels in the treasury of Pre-Romanesque churches are
bordered by a number of Oviedo Cathedral on Mount Naranco, to the
Santa María del Naranco
This church, on Mount Naranco, was originally built as
a summer palace for Ramiro I in the 9th century. It is
one of the finest examples of Pre-Romanesque or
Asturian architecture, a style characterized by
the slender proportions of its buildings
and their original and graceful
ornamentation.
The Hall has an
unusually high
ceiling.

Vaultings of this
size were a technical
Arcaded achievement and not
galleries at both adopted throughout
ends of the building were Columns carved with Europe until the
designed to let in an enormous soqueado or rope effect, 11th century.
amount of light and were an were typical of the Pre-
architectural innovation. Exterior view of Santa
Romanesque style.
María del Naranco
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp562–3 and pp583–4

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