![Oviedo02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Oviedo02.jpg)
Oviedo (; ast, Uviéu ) is the capital city of the Principality of
Asturias
Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in nor ...
in northern
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located approximately southwest of
Gijón
Gijón () or () is a city and municipality in north-western Spain. It is the largest city and municipality by population in the autonomous community of Asturias. It is located on the coast of the Cantabrian Sea in the Bay of Biscay, in the cent ...
and south of
Avilés
Avilés (; ) is a town in Asturias, Spain. Avilés is, along with Oviedo and Gijón, one of the main cities in the Principality of Asturias.
The town occupies the flattest land in the municipality, partially in a land that belonged to the sea, ...
, both of which lie on the shoreline of the
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...
. Oviedo's proximity to the ocean of less than in combination with its elevated position with areas of the city more than 300 metres above sea level causes the city to have a
maritime climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
, in spite of its not being located on the shoreline itself.
History
The Kingdom of Asturias began in 720, with the Visigothic aristocrat
Pelagius
Pelagius (; c. 354–418) was a British theologian known for promoting a system of doctrines (termed Pelagianism by his opponents) which emphasized human choice in salvation and denied original sin. Pelagius and his followers abhorred the moral s ...
's (685–737) revolt against the Muslims who at the time were occupying most of the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
. The
Moorish invasion that began in 711 had taken control of most of the peninsula, until the revolt in the northern mountains by Pelagius. The resulting Kingdom of Asturias, located in an economically poor region of Iberia, was largely ignored by the Muslims. In 720, the area where Oviedo is now located was still uninhabited.
It is said that two monks, Máximo and Fromestano (), founded the city in 761. That settlement was soon to be completed with the construction of a small church dedicated to
Saint Vincent. Oviedo was established on an uninhabited hillside, with no Visigothic or Roman foundation before it became an Asturian city. Following Pelagius, who died in 737,
Alfonso I (739–57) founded a dynasty that reigned until 1037. The Asturian Kingdom was on hostile terms with southern Moorish Spain. In 794, Oviedo was sacked and pillaged by Caliph
Hisham I
Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik ( ar, هشام بن عبد الملك, Hishām ibn ʿAbd al-Malik; 691 – 6 February 743) was the tenth Umayyad caliph, ruling from 724 until his death in 743.
Early life
Hisham was born in Damascus, the administrat ...
in one of his numerous campaigns against the Christian kingdoms.
King Alfonso I is said to have "set in place the whole order of the Goths, as it had been in
Toledo, as much in the church as in the palace." The intention with Oviedo was to shape it into a city similar to that of Visigothic Toledo. Once kings had settled in Oviedo, they adopted as much of the architectural style and imagery of Toledo. Even with this in mind, Oviedo did not necessarily resemble the old Visigothic capital in Toledo. The churches and buildings of Oviedo follow instead late provincial Roman tradition. Since Asturias at the time was an agriculturally poor area of Spain the scale of the buildings is quite impressive.
Oviedo's rich architectural tradition began with King Fruela I (757–768). King
Fruela I of Asturias
Fruela I (or Froila I), (c. 722 – 14 January 768) called the Cruel, was the King of Asturias from 757 until his death, when he was assassinated. He was the eldest son of Alfonso I and continued the work of his father. Pelayo was his materna ...
, the fourth of the Asturian monarchs, was the first decided promoter of the city as may be witnessed by his construction of both a palace and a nearby church. This church was later restored by Alfonso II. Oviedo owes to a later king,
Alfonso II The Chaste (791–842), its establishment as a capital city and ruling seat as a result of the moving of the court from
Pravia
Pravia is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias in Spain. It is bordered on the north by Cudillero and Muros de Nalón, on the east by Candamo and Soto del Barco, on the west by Cudillero and Salas, Asturias ...
and the creation of the Pilgrim's Route to
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
, a major event in the history of Oviedo, a church dedicated to
The Saviour, the
Cathedral of San Salvador, and a royal palace formed the nucleus of Oviedo. Also constructed during Alfonso II's reign was the San Julian de los Prados church, which is one of the best preserved Asturian churches. Alfonso II's successor,
Ramiro I (842–850), continued Alfonso II's construction streak. Ramiro I constructed two buildings, the
Church Santa Maria del Naranco and
San Miguel de Lillo
St. Michael of Lillo ( es, San Miguel de Lillo, ast, Samiguel de Lliño) is a Roman Catholic church built on the Naranco mount, near the Church of Santa María del Naranco in Asturias. It was completed in 842 and it was consecrated by Ramiro ...
. The Church Santa Maria de Naranco was likely to originally be Ramiro I's palace and later changed into a church. By this time the Court of the Palace was centered in Oviedo, which was the main royal residence. This court was controlled by members of the Asturian nobility.
[Collins 2012, p.71]
Ramiro I's (842–850) eight-year tenure was uneasy, he faced rebellions from the Counts of the Palace. The first rebellion against Ramiro I was led by Alroitus, and the second rebellion was led by Piniolus. Both of these rebellions were unsuccessful in removing Ramiro I. These rebellions may have been why Ramiro I built his palace in the mountains surrounding Oviedo, presumably away from the violence.
During the 9th century in Oviedo, Roman style property law is common. 9th century documents also indicate small scale aristocracies across the kingdom, as well as a large presence of a landowning peasantry.
[Wickham 2009, p.500-3]
Following Ramiro I's reign,
Ordoño I (850–866) came into power and began the Asturian king's father-son succession. Ordoño I was the first king to push southwards into Arab territory.
Following Ordoño I's death on May 27, 866, usurpers attempted to take the throne. The following
king Alfonso III (866–910), who was thirteen at the time, took refuge in Castile until his followers had killed the usurper.
[Collins 2012, p.78]
Alfonso III's contributions to building construction are not nearly as well documented as Ramiro I's or Alfonso II's contributions. The Chronicle of Alfonso III does not mention any buildings created by Alfonso III, neither does the Chronicle of Albelda. In 882, the body of the Cordoban martyr
Eulogius was sent to Oviedo. This was meant a diplomatic gift from Emir Muhammad I (852–886). Eulogius was executed in 859. The body was likely accompanied by Eulogius's book collection.
In the 16th century, the only manuscript of Eulogius's writings was discovered in the Oviedo Cathedral Library. Here it was copied once before it disappeared completely from the library. Following an offensive in 881 against an Umayyad army, Alfsonso III returned to Oviedo to rebuild churches. It was at this time he constructed one or more palaces.
The Chronicle of Albelda
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
and the
Chronicle of Sampiro
Sampiro (''c''. 956 – 1041) was a Leonese cleric, politician, and intellectual, one of the earliest chroniclers of post-conquest Spain known by name. He was also the Bishop of Astorga from 1034 or 1035 until his death.
According to some sourc ...
tie Alfonso III's victories in battle to his program of church building in Oviedo.
[Collins 2012, p.81] In 908, Alfonso III commissioned a gold and jewelled cross to contain the cross carried by Pelagius I at Covadonga. This "Cross of Victory" is located in the
Camara Sancta in the Oviedo Cathedral. However, recent Carbon14 analysis of the wooden cross indicates that it was no older than the golden casing created to surround the cross. The commission of the casing shows us Alfonso III's interest in perpetuating the legend of Pelagius I.
Towards the end of Alfonso III's reign, he faced many challenges. In 901, a prophet named Alhaman led a "great army of Muslims" and attempted to take Zamora. To add to this, Alfonso III's brother Vermudo revolted in Astorga. There were several attempts at the aging Alfonso III's life by his sons. Alfonso III was overthrown by sons, and died in Zamora. His body was taken to Oviedo for burial.
The moving of the royal court to
León, after the death of
Alfonso III, 'The Great', links the life of the city to the relics preserved in its cathedral and the passing of pilgrims that visit El Salvador, and continue on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Kings spent less and less time in Oviedo following the change, and spent more time in the rich Duero Plains. León was built up after it became the capital, and eventually surpassed Oviedo in terms of construction.
During the 12th century, many Royal Charters were fabricated by
Bishop Pelayo de
Oviedo
Oviedo (; ast, Uviéu ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located ap ...
, "el fabulador" ("the fabulist"). Since were few checks on internal bookkeeping in the Asturian kingdom actions like this were commonplace in the kingdom. When original documents faded, they were copied onto cartularies and often with alterations that suited the needs of those who copied the documents. The most glaring example can be seen in the ''
Liber Testamentorum'', which was compiled by Bishop Pelayo de Oviedo in 1109. This document contained many confirmation rights and property rights of the Oviedo cathedral by Asturian and Leonese Kings. Bishop Pelayo's intent behind this was to try to gain the independence of his see from the archbishop of
Toledo or Santiago, as well as to promote Oviedo as a pilgrim destination. According to Sánchez-Albornoz, "He (Bishop Pelayo) always, always, always falsified." It is assumed that Bishop Pelayo never committed forgery for the enjoyment, but primarily to promote the church of Oviedo.
The following centuries (12th–16th) witness the development of the medieval city, the outlines of which are still preserved today, the construction of the city walls, a devastating fire which took place on Christmas Eve in 1521, and the
aqueduct works, ''Los Pilares'', constructed in order to provide the city with water throughout the 16th century.
The foundation of the Arts College (
University of Oviedo
The University of Oviedo ( es, Universidad de Oviedo, Asturian: ''Universidá d'Uviéu'') is a public university in Asturias (Spain). It is the only university in the region. It has three campus and research centres, located in Oviedo, Gijón ...
) by
Fernando de Valdés Salas
Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa, the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka. It is equivalent to the G ...
, at the beginning of the 17th century, opened Oviedo to a progressive urban expansion. Further impulse was in the 18th century by the regional nobility and the construction of remarkable palaces; in the 19th century by industrial growth and the suburban development of Uría Street; and finally in the 20th century by administrative and commercial development.
In October 1934, there was a left-wing revolt against the conservative government, based in several cities. In Asturias, the fighting developed into a small, short-lived civil war: the
Asturian miners' strike of 1934
The Asturian miners' strike of 1934 was a major strike action undertaken by regional miners against the 1933 Spanish general election, which redistributed political power from the leftists to conservatives in the Second Spanish Republic. The str ...
. 50,000 workers, mostly miners, armed themselves with dynamite and captured Oviedo after heavy fighting. They gained control of the arsenal with 30,000 rifles and machine guns. The Army Chief of Staff, General
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War ...
sent in soldiers who overpowered the rebels after severe street fighting that left 3,000 rebels dead and 7,000 wounded. The cathedral was badly damaged, with its eighth-century chapel blown up by a mine. In the aftermath, many false atrocity stories circulated.
The
Siege of Oviedo
The siege of Oviedo was a siege in the Spanish Civil War that lasted from 19 July until 16 October 1936. The town garrison, under the command of Colonel Antonio Aranda Mata, took sides for the Nationalist uprising and held out until relieved by a ...
in 1936 was a memorable event in the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
. The army garrison rose in support of the
Nationalist
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
and withstood a siege of three months by an improvised
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
force until relieved in 1937.
Geography
Oviedo is located in the centre of Asturias between the
Nalón River Nalón can refer to:
* Nalón (Asturian comarca), in northern Spain
* Nalón (river), a river in the comarca
* Muros de Nalón
Muros de Nalón ( Asturian: ''Muros'') is a small coastal municipality in the Spanish province of Asturias, with an a ...
and Nora River. To the north lie
Las Regueras
Las Regueras (Les Regueres en Asturiano) is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias, Spain. It is bordered on the north by Illas and Llanera, on the south by Grado, on the west by Candamo, and on the east ...
and
Llanera, to the south
Mieres
Mieres is a municipality of Asturias, northern Spain, with approximately 38,000 inhabitants. The municipality of Mieres is made up of the capital, Mieres del Camino and the villages of Baiña, Figaredo, Cenera, Loredo, La Peña, La Rebollada, S ...
and
Ribera de Arriba
Ribera de Arriba ( Asturian: La Ribera, and both officially) is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias, Spain. It is bordered on the north and east by Oviedo, on the south by Mieres and Morcín, and on the west b ...
, to the east
Siero
Siero is a municipality of the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in northern Spain. Its capital is Pola de Siero
Pola de Siero (in Asturian and as official name La Pola Siero, and also known as La Pola colloquially) is a town in ...
and
Langreo
Langreo (; ast, Llangréu) is a municipality and town in northern Spain, in Asturias. It is the 4th largest town of Asturias with 43,000 inhabitants. Langreo is located in the centre of Asturias, approximately south-east of Oviedo. It was an im ...
, and to the west
Grado
Grado may refer to:
People
* Cristina Grado (1939–2016), Italian film actress
* Jonathan Grado (born 1991), American entrepreneur and photographer
* Francesco De Grado ( fl. 1694–1730), Italian engraver
* Gaetano Grado, Italian mafioso
* Gra ...
and
Santo Adriano
Santo Adriano ( Asturian: Santu Adrianu) is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias. It is bordered on the north by Oviedo, on the east by Ribera de Arriba and Morcín, on the south by Quirós and Proaza and on t ...
. The altitude of Oviedo is between 80 and 709 metres above sea level. The city is protected against strong winds by
Monte Naranco
Monte Naranco is a mountain in Oviedo, Spain. The church Santa María del Naranco is situated on its slopes. It is also known as the finishing line for the bicycle races Subida al Naranco and Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; en, Tour ...
in the north and the
Sierra del Aramo in the south. The city centre is rather hilly.
Economy
The economy is strongly dependent on the
service sector
The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the second ...
, with many office buildings in the city centre. Oviedo's status as the administrative centre of the region supports a large number of jobs in public administration. The
manufacturing sector
In macroeconomics, the secondary sector of the economy is an economic sector in the three-sector theory that describes the role of manufacturing. It encompasses industries that produce a finished, usable product or are involved in construction. ...
, which remains important in this part of Spain, is not prevalent in Oviedo itself, but is more important in the adjacent municipalities of
Siero
Siero is a municipality of the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in northern Spain. Its capital is Pola de Siero
Pola de Siero (in Asturian and as official name La Pola Siero, and also known as La Pola colloquially) is a town in ...
and
Llanera which lie to the north of the city, between Oviedo and
Gijon. In 2009, the municipality had a total debt of €135 million.
Architecture
Oviedo contains a very rich architectural history, with many buildings dating back to the early medieval period. Many of the building projects were undertaken during
Alfonso II's (791-842) reign and
Ramiro I's (842-850) reign.
Alfonso III's contributions are not as well documented.
Alfonso II is said to have built four churches, one dedicated to Christ the Saviour, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Tyrsus, and SS Julian and Basilissa. There are few traces of the churches dedicated to the Saviour, the Virgin Mary, and St. Tyrsus. The
San Salvador church, which was dedicated to the Saviour, is likely beneath the Cathedral of Oviedo. The church of
Santa Maria de la Corte, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was demolished in 1702.
[Collins 2012, p.109] As for St. Tyrsus, the church dedicated to him exists today as the
church of San Tirso. Only a wall and a three light window are believed to have been built by Alfonso II, the majority of the rest of the church is dated to the 14th century. The best preserved church constructed during Alfonso II's time was
San Julian de los Prados.
![Oviedo Landscape (230140305)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Oviedo_Landscape_%28230140305%29.jpeg/1200px-Oviedo_Landscape_%28230140305%29.jpeg)
Two buildings are said to have been built during Ramiro I's reign, one was a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the other construction was a palace. These were built just outside Oviedo, on Monte Lignum. The church
Santa Maria de Naranco seems to originally have been a palace, but later repurposed into a church. The church has an atypical plan from other churches at its time, possibly because it was supposed to contain a throne room for the king. The other church built during Ramiro I's time was
San Miguel de Lillo
St. Michael of Lillo ( es, San Miguel de Lillo, ast, Samiguel de Lliño) is a Roman Catholic church built on the Naranco mount, near the Church of Santa María del Naranco in Asturias. It was completed in 842 and it was consecrated by Ramiro ...
.
The Chronicle of Albelda
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
, one of the primary sources used to discern which King commissioned which building, only extends to 883. Because of this, constructions undertaken during Alfonso III's time as king were not documented.
The following is a list of the notable architectural sites in Oviedo:
*
Cathedral of San Salvador, was erected in 1388 over the previous cathedral, which was founded in the 8th century. The original church was built by
Fruela I the Cruel (757), and then built upon by Alfonso II (791-842). The Tower on the south side of the church was erected in 1556. The north tower was never completed.
[Collins 1998, p.217-9]
*
Cámara Santa de Oviedo. Dating from 802. It is located within the Cathedral, attached to the southern transept of the cathedral, and it is a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. Houses the
Arca Santa
The Arca Santa ("Holy Ark", or chest) is an oak reliquary covered with silver-gilt decorated in the Romanesque art, Romanesque style. It is kept in the Cámara Santa of the Cathedral of San Salvador, Oviedo, Cathedral of San Salvador in Oviedo. In ...
chest reliquary of the Sudarium of Oviedo. The Cámara Sancta houses many Christian treasures. It contained the great gold and jeweled cross of victory for Alfonso III, which was made for housing a wooden cross used by the first Asturian king, Pelayo. The wooden cross was supposedly used in the Asturian victory at the battle of the Covadonga in 718. The Arca Sancta itself, which is covered with decorated silver plates, was commissioned by Alfonso VI (1072–1109).
*
Santa María del Naranco
The church of St Mary at Mount Naranco ( es, Iglesia de Santa María del Naranco; ast, Ilesia de Santa María'l Narancu) is a pre-Romanesque Asturian building on the slope of Mount Naranco situated from Oviedo, northern Spain.
Ramiro I of Ast ...
Hall, 9th century. A relatively large pavilion, part of a palace complex built for the King Ramiro I.
*
San Miguel de Lillo
St. Michael of Lillo ( es, San Miguel de Lillo, ast, Samiguel de Lliño) is a Roman Catholic church built on the Naranco mount, near the Church of Santa María del Naranco in Asturias. It was completed in 842 and it was consecrated by Ramiro ...
(small church), 9th century.
* Basilica of
San Julián de los Prados
San Julián de los Prados, also known as Santullano, is a Pre-Ramirense church from the beginning of the 9th century in Oviedo, the capital city of the Principality of Asturias, Spain. It is one of the greatest works of Asturian art and was dec ...
. This church was originally constructed by Alfonso II (791-842), and is one of the best preserved Asturian churches. The church features a fresco decoration style. Although it was reported to have been placed near a palace, no trace of such palace has been found. Ideologically it would appear that church was opposed to religious imagery, which seems to parallel the iconoclast movement in the Byzantine Empire. However, there was no documentation of this ideal circulating in Spain at this point in time, so the Asturian stance on iconoclasm should not be inferred from this fact.
*
La Foncalada
The Foncalada is a fountain of potable water located outside the city walls of Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; it was built by king Alfonso III of Asturias in the 9th century. This building remains the only surviving civil architectural item for publ ...
. Fountain of the 9th century. It is the only preserved
Pre-Romanesque
Pre-Romanesque art and architecture is the period in European art from either the emergence of the Merovingian kingdom in about 500 AD or from the Carolingian Renaissance in the late 8th century, to the beginning of the 11th century Romanesqu ...
civil work in the whole of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
.
* The
University of Oviedo
The University of Oviedo ( es, Universidad de Oviedo, Asturian: ''Universidá d'Uviéu'') is a public university in Asturias (Spain). It is the only university in the region. It has three campus and research centres, located in Oviedo, Gijón ...
was created in 1574, but only inaugurated on September 21, 1608, the feast of
Saint Matthew
Matthew the Apostle,, shortened to ''Matti'' (whence ar, مَتَّى, Mattā), meaning "Gift of YHWH"; arc, , Mattai; grc-koi, Μαθθαῖος, ''Maththaîos'' or , ''Matthaîos''; cop, ⲙⲁⲧⲑⲉⲟⲥ, Mattheos; la, Matthaeus a ...
. It was funded by the terms of the will of Archbishop D. Fernando Valdés Salas, minister and General Inquisitor under
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (Crown of Castile, Castil ...
and
Philip II Philip II may refer to:
* Philip II of Macedon (382–336 BC)
* Philip II (emperor) (238–249), Roman emperor
* Philip II, Prince of Taranto (1329–1374)
* Philip II, Duke of Burgundy (1342–1404)
* Philip II, Duke of Savoy (1438-1497)
* Philip ...
.
* Town Hall (Casa Consistorial). Dates from 1662.
*
La Balesquida Chapel (13th century). Associated with Oviedo's taylors' guild. Repeatedly restored in the 17th, 19th and 20th centuries. It is dedicated to the Virgin of Hope.
* House of the Llanes (18th century). It is the best
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
façade in the whole of Asturias.
* Deán Payarinos' House (20th century). A building on the Beaux Arts style. Nowadays, it houses the
Eduardo Martínez Torner Conservatory.
* The
Monastery of San Vicente (8th century). At the moment, home of the
Archaeological Museum of Asturias
The Archaeological Museum of Asturias (Spanish: Museo Arqueológico de Asturias; Asturian: Muséu Arqueolóxicu d'Asturies) is housed in the 16th century Benedictine monastery of Saint Vicente in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. Its findings include ...
.
* The Convent
Church of Santo Domingo, Oviedo (16th century). One of the monastic settlements outside the city walls. The original building burnt down in 1934 and it was heavily reconstructed after the Civil War.
* El Fontán Market (17th-18th centuries). A simple but rather monumental complex; an 18th-century porticoed square, which housed the vegetable market. It fell victim to speculative manoeuvres. It was left to deteriorate on its own; claiming that it was beyond repair, it was then demolished in 1998 and rebuilt offering all modern amenities, but with its original proportions radically changed; the original complex being much lower than its modern replacement.
* Casas del Cuitu, early 20th century
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
apartment building.
*
Palacio de Congresos de Oviedo projected by
Santiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava Valls (born 28 July 1951) is a Spanish architect, structural engineer, sculptor and painter, particularly known for his bridges supported by single leaning pylons, and his railway stations, stadiums, and museums, whose sculpt ...
.
*
Church of San Tirso, or the Church of Saint Thyrsus, is located south west of the main cathedral. Only the east end of the church can trace its roots to Alfonso II's reign, with the rest of the church created during the 14th century. The triple arcaded window and east wall are the only portions of the church made during the early 9th century.
*
Camposagrado Palace built in 1728 and 1744 combining baroque and neo-classical architectures. It is presently the home of the Regional Court of Asturias.
Plazas and squares
*
Plaza de la Escandalera, located in the
downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...
area
* Plaza del Fontán, located in the old quarters of the city. It has been used as a marketplace for many centuries.
* Corrada del Obispo
* Plaza Porlier, located by the cathedral in the downtown area.
Culture
![Oviedo Uría](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Oviedo_Ur%C3%ADa.jpg)
Oviedo inspired the fictional city of ''Vetusta'' in
Leopoldo Alas
Leopoldo Enrique García-Alas y Ureña (25 April 1852 – 13 June 1901), also known as Clarín, was a Spanish realist novelist born in Zamora. His inflammatory articles, known as ''paliques'' (“chitchat”), as well as his advocacy of liber ...
's ''
La Regenta''. Other Spanish writers were inspired by the city, including
Ramón Pérez de Ayala
Ramón Pérez de Ayala y Fernández del Portal (9 August 1880, in Oviedo – 5 August 1962, in Madrid) was a Spanish writer. He was the Spanish ambassador to England in London (1931-1936) and voluntarily exiled himself to Argentina via Fr ...
in ''
Tigre Juan'' and
Dolores Medio
María Dolores Medio Estrada (16 December 1911 – 16 December 1996) was a Spanish writer, the winner of the Premio Nadal in 1952 for her work ''Nosotros, los Rivero''. She is often included in the literary Generation of '36.
Biography
Dolores ...
in her novel ''
Nosotros los Rivero''.
Oviedo was featured prominently in
Woody Allen
Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...
's movie ''
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
''Vicky Cristina Barcelona'' is a 2008 romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. The film stars Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson in lead roles. The plot centers on two American women, Vicky ...
''.
Museums in Oviedo:
*
Archaeological Museum of Asturias
The Archaeological Museum of Asturias (Spanish: Museo Arqueológico de Asturias; Asturian: Muséu Arqueolóxicu d'Asturies) is housed in the 16th century Benedictine monastery of Saint Vicente in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. Its findings include ...
*
Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias
The Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias ( es, Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias) is a museum in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. It is situated within three buildings: the Palacio de Velarde, the House of Oviedo-Portal, and the House of Solís-Carbajal.
T ...
*
Camara Santa
Camara may refer to:
* Camara (surname)
* Camara (social enterprise), an Irish social enterprise and charity
* Lato pros Kamara or Camara, an ancient city on Crete
See also
* Kamara (disambiguation)
* Câmara (disambiguation)
* Camera (disambi ...
within the Cathedral houses the
Arca Santa
The Arca Santa ("Holy Ark", or chest) is an oak reliquary covered with silver-gilt decorated in the Romanesque art, Romanesque style. It is kept in the Cámara Santa of the Cathedral of San Salvador, Oviedo, Cathedral of San Salvador in Oviedo. In ...
and Sudarium of Oviedo
*
Diocesan Museum
A diocesan museum is a museum for an ecclesiastical diocese, a geographically-based division of the Christian Church.
Austria:
* Diocesan Museum, Graz, Styria
* Gurk Treasury, Carinthia
* Diocesan Museum, Linz, Upper Austria
* Cathedral Mus ...
* ''
Tabularium Artis Asturiensis''
*
* (future)
Museum of the Militar Technology and Industry
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that Preservation (library and archival science), cares for and displays a collection (artwork), collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, culture, cultu ...
Other cultural centres in Oviedo:
*
Campoamor Theatre, opera house
* Filarmónica Theatre
*
Palacio de Congresos de Oviedo
** Prince Felipe Auditorium
** Princess Letizia Congress Palace
Cultural institutions:
Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias is the premier orchestra of the region, the Principality of Asturias. This full-time symphony orchestra performs a wide range of the classical repertoire with world class soloists and conductors. It is based in the Auditorio Principe Felipe in Oviedo, but it also performs regularly at the main concert venues in Gijón and Avilés. It is Internationally recognized as one of the best orchestras in Spain, it is also committed to adventurous programing with strong emphasis on education and community partnerships. Rossen Milanov is the Music Director.
Oviedo also hosts the annual
Princess of Asturias Awards
The Princess of Asturias Awards ( es, Premios Princesa de Asturias, links=no, ast, Premios Princesa d'Asturies, links=no), formerly the Prince of Asturias Awards from 1981 to 2014 ( es, Premios Príncipe de Asturias, links=no), are a series of a ...
(previously called the Prince of Asturias Awards). This prestigious event, held in the city's Campoamor Theatre, recognizes international achievement in eight different categories. Previous award winners include
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 December 1907 – 5 December 2012), known as Oscar Niemeyer (), was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture. Niemeyer was ...
,
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
and
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five A ...
in the category of
Arts
The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both hi ...
;
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
, the
International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA ...
and
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...
in the category of International Cooperation; and
Mario Bunge
Mario Augusto Bunge (; ; September 21, 1919 – February 24, 2020) was an Argentine-Canadian philosopher and physicist. His philosophical writings combined scientific realism, systemism, materialism, emergentism, and other principles.
He was ...
,
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
and
Quino
Joaquín Salvador Lavado Tejón, better known by his pen name Quino (; 17 July 193230 September 2020), was an Argentinian cartoonist. His comic strip ''Mafalda'' (which ran from 1964 to 1973) is popular in many parts of the Americas and Europe ...
in the category of Communications and Humanities.
Oviedo University
The University of Oviedo ( es, Universidad de Oviedo, Asturian: ''Universidá d'Uviéu'') is a public university in Asturias (Spain). It is the only university in the region. It has three campus and research centres, located in Oviedo, Gijón ...
's international campus attracts many foreign scholars from all over the globe.
The city lends its name to the
sudarium of Oviedo
The Sudarium of Oviedo, or Shroud of Oviedo, is a bloodstained piece of cloth measuring c. 84 x 53 cm (33 x 21 inches) kept in the Cámara Santa of the Cathedral of San Salvador, Oviedo, Spain. The Sudarium (Latin for ''sweat cloth'') is ...
a religious relic revered there since the 9th century.
Politics
The current mayor is Alfredo Canteli (
PP).
Councillors distribution in local elections
Sports
Formula One
The most famous athlete from Oviedo is
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
and
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
world champion
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz (; born 29 July 1981) is a Spanish racing driver currently competing for Alpine in Formula One. He won the series' World Drivers' Championship in and with Renault, and has also driven for McLaren, Ferrari, and Mi ...
, famous for being Spain's only Formula One title winner, having raced for teams like
Minardi
Minardi was an Italian automobile racing team and constructor founded in Faenza in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal followin ...
,
Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...
,
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...
,
McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited is a British motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor, the second oldest active team, and the second most successful Formul ...
and
Alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National Pa ...
. Alonso has his official career and life museum, together with a karting circuit designed by himself, in Llanera, nearby Oviedo.
Sports teams in Oviedo
*''
Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo is a Spanish football club based in Oviedo, Asturias. Founded on 26 March 1926 as a result of the merger of two clubs who had maintained a large sporting rivalry for years in the city: ''Real Stadium Club Ovetense'' and ''Real Club De ...
'',
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team. (
Segunda División
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Segunda División, commercially known as LaLiga SmartBank for sponsorship reasons, is the men's second professional association football division of the Spanish football league system. Administrated by the Lig ...
)
*''
Real Oviedo Rugby'',
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
team. (
División de Honor B)
*''
Oviedo CB
Oviedo Club Baloncesto, also known as Alimerka Oviedo Baloncesto for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Oviedo, Asturias, that plays in the Spanish LEB Oro league.
History First years
Oviedo CB was founded in 2004 to ...
'',
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
team. (
LEB Oro LEB or Leb may refer to:
* Lausanne–Echallens–Bercher railway, Switzerland
* Lebanon, UNDP country code
* Lebanon Municipal Airport (New Hampshire) (FAA identifier)
* Lexham English Bible
* Life expectancy at birth
* Liga Española de Balonces ...
, second division)
*''
Oviedo Booling'',
roller hockey team. (OK Plata, second division)
*''
Oviedo Moderno CF
Real Oviedo Femenino, officially named as Oviedo Moderno Club de Fútbol, is a Spanish women's football club based in Oviedo, Asturias. It acts as the women's section of Real Oviedo.
History
Founded in 1980 as México-La Corredoria CF to play ...
'',
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team. (
Segunda División
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Segunda División, commercially known as LaLiga SmartBank for sponsorship reasons, is the men's second professional association football division of the Spanish football league system. Administrated by the Lig ...
)
Annual sports events
![Estadio Municipal Carlos Tartiere (Real Oviedo S](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Estadio_Municipal_Carlos_Tartiere_%28Real_Oviedo_S.A.D.%29.jpg)
* International Showjumping Competition
* City of Oviedo Horse Show
* City of Oviedo San Silvestre* Outdoor Sports Climbing
*
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; en, Tour of Spain) is an annual multi-stage bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, the r ...
(Cycling)
*
Vuelta a Asturias
Vuelta Asturias is a professional cycle road race held in Spain in early May each year. The event was first run in 1925 but has not been held consistently until 1968 to present. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI E ...
(Cycling)
*
Ascent of Naranco (Cycling)
* City of Oviedo Mountain Bike Open
* City of Oviedo Cycle Criterium
* Base Hockey International Tournament
* Prince of Asturias International Rally
* National Auto-Cross Championship
* International Hurdles Competition
* International Chess Open
* Boxing Nights
* Ascension Bowls Tournament
* San Mateo Bowls Tournament
* Open de España (Disc Golf)
Feasts and traditions
![Oviedo_cartel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Oviedo_cartel.jpg)
The Festive Calendar:
* Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos de Oriente: The traditional Twelve Night
parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, float (parade), floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually ce ...
, where the Three Wise Men of the East and their retinue parade through the city main streets, reaching the Cathedral Square, where they make their offering to the Child Jesus.
* ''L'Antroxu'' (
Carnival
Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
)
* The Sudarium of Oviedo is displayed to the public three times a year:
Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
, the
Feast of the Triumph of the Cross on 14 September, and its octave on 21 September.
* The Feast of the ''Ascension''
* ''La Foguera de San Xuan'' (
Saint John's Bonfire):
* ''La Balesquida'' or ''Martes del Bollu'' or ''Martes del campo'': A public holiday, on a Tuesday in mid-May, where people make a picnic in parks
* The Feast of San Mateo, a popular week-long festival with street food, music, concerts in the cathedral square and the ''Día de América en Asturias''
* ''El Desarme'' (Disarmament's Day), commemorating the cunning victory of the locals over a Carlist army during the First Carlist War, during the 1830s
Typical gastronomy of the province:
* ''Fabada'', bean stew with selected cuts of pork, etc.
* ''Callos'', tripe
* ''Carne gobernada'', (chunks of meat, prepared with onion, garlic and white wine sauce)
* ''Chorizo a la sidra'', (
chorizo
Chorizo (, from Spanish ; similar to but distinct from Portuguese ) is a type of pork cured meat originating from the Iberian Peninsula.
In Europe, chorizo is a fermented, cured, smoked meat, which may be sliced and eaten without cooking, or ...
sausage prepared in
cider
Cider ( ) is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom (particularly in the West Country) and the Republic of Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, ...
)
* ''Paxarines'', figures made from breadcrumb and egg coloured with saffron
* ''Carbayones'', Oviedo's typical almond pastry
* ''Sidra'', (
cider
Cider ( ) is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom (particularly in the West Country) and the Republic of Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, ...
), Asturian typical drink, fermented apple cider
* ''Arroz con leche'', similar to rice pudding
* ''Frixuelos'', similar to a crêpe
Climate
Oviedo's climate is temperate oceanic (Cfb in the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
). Its climate is very similar to neighbouring city Gijón, with only narrow fluctuations in temperature due to its higher altitude and more inland location. Oviedo's warmest month is in August with an average high of . The city centre is located at a lower elevation than the weather station so is likely somewhat milder year-round since both are located in an upwards gradient away from the sea. Its maritime position renders winters much milder than in continental Spain such as in the
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
capital region, but summers naturally are far less hot than in the interior. There is a slight drying tendency during summer, albeit far less significant than in other areas of Spain.
Transport
Airports
Oviedo is served by
Asturias Airport
Asturias Airport, is the only international airport of Asturias, Spain, in Castrillón. Traffic consists primarily of scheduled domestic flights and some seasonal scheduled international flights. In 2012, the airport handled 1,309,640 passengers ...
, about from the center of the city; it is located in the municipality of Castrillon.
The airport is connected to the city by the A-8 motorway, the A-66 motorway and scheduled bus service (
Alsa).
Public transport
Oviedo currently has 15 bus lines and one (owl) line. The
owl services run on Saturdays, Sundays and on the eve of public holidays, except
Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
and
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
. Last two lines (''Línea U'' y ''Línea V'') who connect rural zones of Oviedo were implemented in March 2020 and they only operate between Monday and Friday.
Rail
The
Oviedo railway station
Oviedo railway station ( es, Estación de Oviedo or ''Estación del Norte'') is the main station in the Spanish city of Oviedo, capital of the province of Asturias. It opened in 1874 and was reconstructed after the Spanish Civil War.
The stati ...
provides a wide range of long- and middle-distance services, in addition to regional and suburban (''
cercanías
The commuter rail systems of Spain's major metropolitan areas are called ''Cercanías'' () in most of Spain, ''Rodalia'' () in the Valencian Community, ''Aldiriak'' () in the Basque Country and ''Rodalies'' () in Catalonia. There are twelve ''Ce ...
'') services operated by
Renfe, and the narrow-gauge
Renfe Feve
Renfe Feve is a division of state-owned Spanish railway company Renfe Operadora. It operates most of Spain's of railway. This division of Renfe was previously a stand-alone company named FEVE (Ferrocarriles de Vía Estrecha,Law 11/1965 of ...
lines. Within the municipality, there are others rail stations on the
Cercanías Asturias
Cercanías Asturias is a commuter rail service operating in Autonomous Community of Asturias, mainly in the central area of the region.
Lines with Iberian gauge
There are three lines, all of them managed by Renfe Operadora:
Lines with Me ...
network, in La Corredoria, Llamaquique, El Caleyo, Olloniego, Santa Eulalia de Manzaneda, Tudela-Veguín, Parque Principado, Colloto, Argañosa-Lavapiés, Las Campas, Las Mazas, San Claudio, Soto-Udrión, Trubia, Fuso de la Reina, and Caces.
Tramway
From 1922 to 1956, there was a tramway system in Oviedo
Notable people
![Ceremonia de entrega de los Premios Príncipe de Asturias 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Ceremonia_de_entrega_de_los_Premios_Pr%C3%ADncipe_de_Asturias_2010.jpg)
*
HM Queen Letizia of Spain the consort of the Spanish King
Felipe VI
Felipe VI (;,
* eu, Felipe VI.a,
* ca, Felip VI,
* gl, Filipe VI, . Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain. He is the son of former King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía, and h ...
.
*
Leopoldo Alas ''Clarín'', 19th century novelist and literary critic.
*
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz (; born 29 July 1981) is a Spanish racing driver currently competing for Alpine in Formula One. He won the series' World Drivers' Championship in and with Renault, and has also driven for McLaren, Ferrari, and Mi ...
, Formula One driver and a two-time world champion ( and ). Afterwards well known for driving five years for
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...
and winning the
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans (french: link=no, 24 Heures du Mans) is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the town of Le Mans, France. It is the world's oldest active Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance r ...
twice.
*
Galo Blanco
Galo Blanco (; born 8 October 1976) is a retired professional tennis player from Oviedo, Spain. After many years as a professional tennis coach Blanco joined the Davis Cup steering committee in 2018.
Tennis career
Most of Blanco's early prof ...
, professional tennis player and coach
*
Enrique Castro ''Quini'', retired footballer. He was widely regarded as one of the country's best strikers.
*
Sabino Fernández-Campo, chief of the
Spanish Royal House between 1990 and 1993. Count of Latores and
Grandee of Spain
Grandee (; es, Grande de España, ) is an official aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neither country did they ha ...
*
Carmen Domínguez
Maria del Carmen Domínguez Álvarez, also Karmenka, (born 1969) is a Spanish glaciologist, polar explorer and mathematician. She is a co-founder of the Glackma Project which since 2001 has networked the measurement of glacier discharge in the po ...
(born 1969), glaciologist
*
Antonio Gamoneda
Antonio Gamoneda Lobón (born 30 May 1931) is a Spanish poet, winner of the Cervantes Prize in 2006.
Biography
Antonio Gamoneda was born in Oviedo, Asturias, on 30 May 1931. His father, also named Antonio, was a modernist poet who published ...
winner of the 2006
Cervantes Prize
The Miguel de Cervantes Prize ( es, Premio de Literatura en Lengua Castellana Miguel de Cervantes) is awarded annually to honour the lifetime achievement of an outstanding writer in the Spanish language.
History
The prize was established in 1975 ...
.
*
Ángel González, poet.
*
Sid Lowe
Simon James "Sid" Lowe (born 21 June 1976) is an English columnist and journalist. Born in Archway, London, and based in Madrid, he covers Spanish football for many publications, websites, television channels, radio stations, and football-relate ...
, well known international football journalist predominantly known for his contributions to
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
, studied in the University of Oviedo.
*
Juan Mata
Juan Manuel Mata García (born 28 April 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Turkish Süper Lig club Galatasaray. He mostly plays as a central attacking midfielder, but he can also play on the wing.
A grad ...
,
Manchester United
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
footballer.
World
In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...
and
European champion along with
2012 UEFA Champions League winner with
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
*
Melendi
Ramón Melendi Espina (born 21 January 1979), known as Melendi, is a Spanish singer-songwriter. His specialties are rock, flamenco, and rumba styles.
Early life
He was born in Oviedo, Asturias. He went to class with Formula One race car drive ...
, popular singer.
*
Michu
Miguel Pérez Cuesta (born 21 March 1986), known as Michu (), is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker or attacking midfielder.
He started playing for Real Oviedo, subsequently representing Celta and Rayo Vallecano, ...
, former
Swansea City
Swansea City Association Football Club (; cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Cymdeithas Dinas Abertawe) is a professional football club based in Swansea, Wales that plays in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Swansea have played their ho ...
footballer.
*
Ramón Pérez de Ayala
Ramón Pérez de Ayala y Fernández del Portal (9 August 1880, in Oviedo – 5 August 1962, in Madrid) was a Spanish writer. He was the Spanish ambassador to England in London (1931-1936) and voluntarily exiled himself to Argentina via Fr ...
, writer.
*
Carmen Polo
María del Carmen Polo y Martínez-Valdés, 1st Lady of Meirás, Grandee of Spain (11 June 1900 – 6 February 1988) was the wife of the dictator, General and "''caudillo"'' Francisco Franco and is considered the most influential woman in Franco ...
, wife of Spain's dictator
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War ...
.
*
Indalecio Prieto
Indalecio Prieto Tuero (30 April 1883 – 11 February 1962) was a Spanish politician, a minister and one of the leading figures of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in the years before and during the Second Spanish Republic.
Early life ...
, socialist politician. One of the leaders of the
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party ( es, Partido Socialista Obrero Español ; PSOE ) is a social-democraticThe PSOE is described as a social-democratic party by numerous sources:
*
*
*
* political party in Spain. The PSOE has been in gov ...
up to the end of the Civil War and the posterior exile.
*
Samuel Sánchez
Samuel "Samu" Sánchez González (born 5 February 1978) is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally in the sport between 2000 and 2017 for the and squads. He was the gold medal winner in the road race at the 2 ...
, cyclist. 2008 Olympic Road Race Champion.
*
Tioda
Tioda was a prominent Asturian architect of the 9th century. He worked primarily in Oviedo, where he constructed the church of San Salvador which was later elevated to the rank of cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oviedo and the Royal P ...
, 9th-century architect who designed several of the city pre-romanesque buildings.
*
Tino Casal
José Celestino Casal Álvarez, more commonly known as Tino Casal, (11 February 1950, in Tudela Veguín, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain – 22 September 1991, in Madrid, Spain) was a Spanish singer, songwriter and producer, who was active during La ...
, singer, songwriter and producer in the town of Tudela Veguín, in the municipality of Oviedo.
*
El Sueño de Morfeo
EL, El or el may refer to:
Religion
* El (deity), a Semitic word for "God"
People
* EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer
* El DeBarge, music artist
* El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...
, musical group
Other places in the municipality
![Mapa Parroquial Uviéu (color)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Mapa_Parroquial_Uvi%C3%A9u_%28color%29.jpg)
*
Trubia
Trubia is a parish of the municipality of Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
It is located in the confluence of rivers Nalón and Trubia, giving the last one its name to the location.
History
In the 19th century, the Royal Weapons Factory of Trubia wa ...
*
Colloto
Colloto ( ast, Cualloto) is a place in the municipalities of Oviedo and Siero, Asturias, Spain. It is from the city of Oviedo.
Notable people
* Florina Alías (1921-1999), author
Oviedo
Siero
{{Spain-geo-stub ...
(divided between two municipalities: Oviedo and
Siero
Siero is a municipality of the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in northern Spain. Its capital is Pola de Siero
Pola de Siero (in Asturian and as official name La Pola Siero, and also known as La Pola colloquially) is a town in ...
)
*
San Claudio San Claudio (''San Cloyo'' in Asturian language, Asturian) is a town situated in the Municipalities of Spain, municipality of Oviedo, Spain. It lies three kilometers and a half from Oviedo. It is named after Marcellus of Tangier, Saint Claudius, a ...
*
San Esteban de les Cruces
*
San Juan el Real
*
Latores
*
Olloniego
Olloniego is a parish of the municipality of Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
History
In 1145, while reigning Alfonso VI of León and Castile, evidences were found pointing out that Olloniego was one of the main entrances to Oviedo. In the 16th century, ...
International relations
Twin towns — sister cities
Oviedo is
twinned with:
Oviedo, Florida (U.S.) since 1877
*
Valparaíso
Valparaíso (; ) is a major city, seaport, naval base, and educational centre in the commune of Valparaíso, Chile. "Greater Valparaíso" is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Valparaíso is located about northwest of Santiago ...
,
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
, since 1976
[
* ]Bochum
Bochum ( , also , ; wep, Baukem) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 364,920 (2016), is the sixth largest city (after Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg) of the most populous Germany, German federal state o ...
, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, since 1979[
* ]Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
, Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, since 1983[
* ]Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
, Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, since 1983[
* ]Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat (dialect), Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and Communes of France, commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions of France, region, with a population ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, since 1988
* Tampa
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
(U.S.) since 1991
* Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
, Spain, since 1993[
* Santa Clara, ]Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, since 1995[
* ]Jersey City
Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.[New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...]
(U.S.), since 1998[
* ]Holon
Holon ( he, חוֹלוֹן ) is a city on the central coastal strip of Israel, south of Tel Aviv. Holon is part of the metropolitan Gush Dan area. In it had a population of . Holon has the second-largest industrial zone in Israel, after Haifa. ...
, Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, since 1999[
* Zamora, Spain, since October 9, 2001][
* ]Torrevieja
Torrevieja (; ca-valencia, Torrevella ) is a seaside city and municipality located on the Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante, in the southern part of the Valencian Community, on the southeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain.
Torrevieja l ...
, Spain, since January 2, 2004[
* ]Hangzhou
Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the province, sitting at the head of Hangzhou Bay, whi ...
, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, since 2006[
* ]Valencia de Don Juan
Valencia de Don Juan (; ''Coyanza'' in Leonese language) is a municipality located in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain. In 2013, the municipality had a population of 5,199.
Originally, Valencia de Don Juan was named Comeniaca and C ...
, Spain, since 2006[
* ]Viseu
Viseu () is a city and municipality in the Centro Region of Portugal and the capital of the district of the same name, with a population of 100,000 inhabitants, and center of the Viseu Dão Lafões intermunipical community, with 267,633 inhabita ...
, Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, since April 10, 2007[
* ]Maranello
Maranello ( Modenese: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Modena in Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy, 18 km from Modena, with a population of 17,504 as of 2017. It is known worldwide as the home of Ferrari and the Formula 1 racing ...
, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, since April 28, 2010[
]
See also
*Iglesia de Santa María (Oviedo)
Iglesia de Santa María (Oviedo) is a defunct church in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. The church had three altars, the major one dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the two minors dedicated to Saint Stephen, San Esteban and San Julián.
See also
*Asturia ...
*Virtway
Virtway is a game development studio located in Oviedo, Spain. It was founded in 1999 as a general IT consulting firm. In 2006 Virtway spun off from its parent company to focus on 3D development and video games as an independent branch of ...
(1999)
References
Bibliography
External links
Asturias Cities
Municipality of Oviedo
Municipality of Oviedo and touristic informations
University of Oviedo
Oviedo city guide
a
HitchHikers Handbook
{{Authority control
Municipalities in Asturias
*
Populated places established in the 8th century
World Heritage Sites in Spain
760s establishments
8th-century establishments in Spain