Oviedo

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:This article is on Oviedo, Spain. For the city in Florida, USA, please go to Oviedo, Florida.

Oviedo is the capital of the Principality of Asturias and is the administrative and commercial centre of the region. The city also hosts the annual Prince of Asturias Awards, held in the Campoamor Theatre. The Oviedo University's International Campus also attracts a handful of foreign scholars.

History

King Fruela I, 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. Nevertheless, Oviedo owes to 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 and the creation of the Pilgrim’s Route to Santiago de Compostela, 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 and motive power of Oviedo.

During this period the city became the centre of an original and unique architectural expression, inheritor of Visigothic, Roman and Nordic traditions, which was to reach its high point during the reign of Ramiro I. Ramiro I sponsored many unique construction projects which, to this day, remain a signature of Oviedo.

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. The following centuries (XII-XVI) 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 formidable aqueduct works, Los Pilares, constructed in order to provide the city with water throughout the XVI century.

The foundation of the Arts College (University of Oviedo) by Fernando de Valdés Salas, at the beginning of the 17th century, opened Oviedo to a progressive urban expansion. Further impulse was in the 18th century by the city 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.

Architecture

Cathedral of San Salvador

Santa María del Naranco Hall.

• Cathedral of San Salvador, from 14th century, erected in 1388 over the previous cathedral, which was founded in the 8th century.
• Cámara Santa de Oviedo. Dating from 802. It is located within the Cathedral, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Santa María del Naranco Hall, 9th century. A hunting pavilion built for and by King Ramiro I, it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
• San Miguel de Lillo (small church), 9th century. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
• Basilica of San Julián de los Prados. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
• La Foncalada. Fountain of the 9th century. It is the only preserved Pre-Romanesque civil work in the whole of Europe. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
• The University of Oviedo was founded in 1604 and inaugurated September 21, 1608, the feast of Saint Matthew. It was funded by the terms of the will of Archbishop D. Fernando Valdés Salas, minister and General Inquisitor under Philip the Second.
• Town Hall (Casa Consistorial). Dates from 1662.
• La Balesquida Chapel (XIII century). Repeatedly restored in the XVII, XIX and XX centuries. It is dedicated to the Virgin of Hope.
• House of the Llanes (XVIII century). It is the best Baroque facade in the whole of Asturias.
• Deán Payarinos' House (XX century). A building on the Beaux Arts style, it houses the Eduardo Martiner Torner Conservatory.
• The Monastery of San Vicente (VIII century). At the moment, home of the Archaeological Museum of Asturias.
• The Convent Church of Santo Domingo (XVI century). One of the monastic settlements outside the city walls.
• El Fontán Market(XVII-XVIII centuries). A simple but rather monumental complex; an XVIII 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 on 1998 and rebuilt offering all modern commodities, but with its original proportions radically changed; the original complex being much lower than its modern replacement.

Culture

Museums in Oviedo:

Fine Arts Museum of Asturias

• Archaeological Museum of Asturias
• Fine Arts Museum of Asturias
• Holy Chamber
• Diocesan Museum
• Tabularium Artis Asturiensis

Other centres of culture in Oviedo:

• Campoamor Theatre
• Filarmónica Theatre
• Prince Felipe's Auditorium
• Princess Letizia's Congress Palace (in construction)

Sports

• Real Oviedo football team. (2nd-B league)
• Esfer Oviedo roller hockey team. (OK Liga, first division)
• Domo Residencial Oviedo basketball team. (EBA league, group A)

Annual Sports Events:

• International Showjumping Competition
• City of Oviedo Horse Show
• City of Oviedo San Silvestre
• City of Oviedo Trial Indoor
• Outdoor Sports Climbing
• Vuelta a España (Cycling)
• Tour of Asturias (Cycling)
• Ascent of Naranco (Cycling)
• City of Oviedo Mountain Bike Open
• City of Oviedo Cycle Criterium
• Base Hockey International Tournament
• International Icehockey Tournament
• Prince of Asturias International Rally
• National Auto-Cross Championship
• International Hurdles Competition
• International Chess Open
• Boxing Nights
• City of Oviedo Weightlifting Championship
• Ascension Bowls Tournament
• San Mateo Bowls Tournament

Feast and Traditions

Riego Square

The Festive Calendar:

• Procession of the Three Wise Men: The traditional retinue that accompanies the Three Wise Men of the East parade through the city and make their offering of the Child Jesus in the Cathedral Square.
• L'Antroxu (Carnival):
• Feast of the Ascension:
• La Foguera de San Xuan (Saint John's Bonfire):
• La Balesquida or Martes del Bollu:
• The Feast of San Mateo:
• El Desarme (Disarmament's Day), commemorating the cunning victory of the locals over a Carlist army during the First Carlist War, during the 1830s

• Fabada (bean stew with selected cuts of pork, etc.)
• Callos (Tripe)
• Carne gobernada (Meat cut into pieces prepared with onion, garlic and white wine)
• Merluza a la sidra (Hake prepared in cider)
• Paxarines
• Carbayones: Typical almond cake of Oviedo
• Sidra (Cider): Asturian typical drink, fermented apple juice
• Arroz con leche: a local variation on milk pudding

Other cities in the municipality

• Trubia
• Colloto (divided into two municipalities: Oviedo and Siero)
• San Claudio
• San Esteban de las Cruces
• Latores
• Olloniego

Twin cities

• Valparaíso, Chile, since 1976
• Bochum, Germany, since 1979
• Buenos Aires, Argentina, since 1983
• Veracruz, Mexico, since 1983
• Clermont-Ferrand, France, since 1988
• Tampa, Florida, United States, since 1991
• Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain, since 1993
• Santa Clara, Cuba, since 1995
• Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, since 1998
• Hangzhou, China, since 2006

External links

• [Oviedo, a piece of "El Paraíso Natural", Pictures]
• [Municipality of Oviedo (in Spanish)]
• [Municipality of Oviedo and turistic informations in English]
• [University of Oviedo (in Spanish)]

World Heritage Sites in Spain

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