Oviedo

Oviedo [ oβjeðo ] ( Asturian: Uvieu or Uvieo ) is the capital of the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. In the 9th and 10th century, the city was the residence of the then independent kingdom of Asturias. The inhabitants of the city are called " Ovetenser ".

• 9.1 Pre-Romanesque architecture
• 9.2 buildings of the late 19th century

Geography

Location

The municipality of Oviedo is limited by the

Parroquias

Oviedo is divided into 30 parroquias, the highest point is 708 m El Picayu.

Coat of arms

The Victory Cross with the angels, is the Archbishop of Oviedo crest. The Victory Cross on a blue background is framed by the honorary titles:

MUY Nobile, MUY LEAL, Benemerita, INVICTA, HEROICA, BUENA very noble, very loyal, very Meritorious, Undefeated, heroic, good

The Victory Cross together with the titles of honor stands for the monarchy of Asturias.

History

Oviedo was built on a hill, which the Romans called Ovetao. Not far from the old civitas romana Lucus Asturum founded 761 the monk Máximo and his nephew Fromestano on the Roman road that connected León via Pajares Pass with Lugo de Llanera, a monastery and built a Ermita in honor of San Vicente Martyr. Later, two dozen monks came from the Muslim south of the founders and selected according to deed dated December 25 781 Fromestano to their first abbot They received the protection Fruelas I, who chose the place for residence for his wife Munia that here her son and later King Alfonso II gave birth.

Alfonso II it was also the one in 812 moved the capital here and Oviedo made ​​a bishopric. The capital function lost it during the Reconquista 912 in León. Alfonso II Oviedo fortified and equipped it with palaces, churches and other infrastructure elements. Example of the latter is an aqueduct, of the three arcs can be seen today. During his reign, a grave was discovered 812 in Santiago de Compostela, which is attributed to James the Elder. The king moved from Oviedo to Santiago and should therefore have been the first pilgrims. He is simultaneously the first to Santiago, the Camino Primitivo (Latin Primitivus - first of its kind ) have opened. The Way of St. James, though a " byway ", provided for economic revival of the city during the Middle Ages.

Twice in its history, Oviedo was seriously destroyed 1521 by a fire disaster and 1934 miners' riots and during the Spanish Civil War.

Science and Culture

On 4 April 1997, the Council of Europe Convention on Biomedicine signed in Oviedo, which is also called " Oviedo Convention ".

Once a year, the city gained international recognition with the award of the Prince of Asturias Awards ( Premios del Príncipe de Asturias) by the Spanish Crown Prince. 30 000 students now attend University of Oviedo, founded in 1608; through them, the city is also the scientific and cultural center of Asturias.

In Oviedo is the " Institute of Asturian Studies". The highlight of the cultural life is every year in September, the " San Mateo Festival", a spectacle of opera, rock, pop, sports and bullfighting as well as a large parade through the Old Town.

Oviedo is also a bishopric.

Economy

From the late 18th century began in Oviedo with an arms factory intensive industrial development.

Oviedo is at one of Spain's largest mining areas, the " Cuenca Central Asturiana "; Another important pillars were steel and chemical industries. In the meantime, however, a structural change towards management and banks has begun.

Demographics

Policy

Climate

Attractions

The entire old town of Oviedo is a pedestrian zone that includes major attractions such as the University, the San Salvador Cathedral, the Palace of the Marquis of San Félix and the Camposagrado palace, but also numerous statues of historical sites or the countless " sidrerías " ( cider ).

• Cathedral - Late Gothic building with a tower, portico at the entrance and a large rose window, " UNESCO World Heritage "
• Cámara Santa ( Holy Chamber ) in the Cathedral (actually, San Miguel Chapel ) - houses one of the most important Spanish relics collections. Shown are the Holy Chest, the angel and cross the Victory Cross. These relics were formerly for many pilgrims reason for a long detour on their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. As symbols they found partially taken up in the arms of Oviedo and the Principality of Asturias.
• Church of San Tirso
• Museum of Fine Arts in the former Velarde Palace
• Museum of Archaeology in the San Vicente Monastery with examples for the entire Asturian art history from the Bronze Age

Oviedo has several places worth seeing. In addition to the

• Plaza de la Catedral, there is the
• Plaza de Alfonso II el Casto with the palaces and Valdecarzana Rúa
• Plaza de Trascorrales Cimadevilla, the oldest neighborhood of the Old Town, the former commodity exchange
• Plaza de la Constitución, with the town hall and the church of San Isidoro, both from the 18th century
• Plaza de Fontan carries with colonnades, the former iron and glass market
• Plaza de Velarde y Daoíz furnished with colorful houses on the square and arcades.

The building of the university is the last of the old town core, before you get into the newer parts of the city. The facade plateresque from the 16th century leads to a cloister, which is open all year round venue for numerous cultural activities. Worth seeing are also the nearby facades of palaces and Camposagrado Toreno. Also located in Oviedo a statue of Woody Allen, the miteinbaute the city in his film " Vicky Cristina Barcelona".

The Cloister

Oviedo View 1

Oviedo View 2

Oviedo View 3

The modern Oviedo

Plaza de Trascorrales

Pre-Romanesque architecture

The innovative pre-Romanesque style of Asturias is an exclusive heritage of this region with a focus on Oviedo. Some of the most important buildings, such as churches

• Santa María del Naranco,
• San Miguel de Lillo, or
• San Julián de los Prados

Were combined with Santa Cristina de Lena, the Cámara Santa brought ( Holy Chamber ) and La Foncalada ( a medieval fountain ) of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Buildings of the late 19th century

The profits from mining and industrial development in Asturias enabled in the 19th century, a building development, which can be around the Plaza de la Escandalera and visit the park Campo de San Francisco. Of these are worth mentioning

• The Palacio regional, headquarters of the General Assembly of the Principality,
• The building of the Caja de Asturias Asturias
• As well as the bank building of the former Banco Herrero,

The lean to the former French style. Nearby are also the Teatro Campoamor, where every year the Prince of Asturias Awards are awarded, as well as the center of modern art. A small side street, Calle Gil de Jaz, leads to the former provincial hospice (18th century) which now houses the luxurious Hotel Reconquista.

Parks

Oviedo has some green areas and parks. The largest is the Parque de Invierno.

Local specialties

• Sidra - cider
• Cabrales cheese ( Queso Cabrales ), Vidiago or Gamonedo
• Carne gobernada - braised meat
• Pixin - Monkfish
• Frixuelos - a kind of crepe
• Bean stew - Asturian bean dish
• Arroz con leche - rice pudding
• Tarta de Almendras - almond cake

Personalities

Sons and daughters

• Fernando Alonso, Formula 1 World Champion of 2005 and 2006
• Letizia Ortiz, Princess of Asturias
• Carmen Polo y Martínez- Valdés, the wife of Francisco Franco
• Samuel Sánchez, cyclist
• José Tomás Boves, Venezuelan caudillo
• Melendi, Asturian singer
• José Manuel Castañón, writer
• Javier Paredes, football player
• Luis García Fernández, football player
• César Martín, football player
• Adrián Colunga, football player

Twinning

Oviedo maintains with the following cities twinning:

• Valparaíso ( Chile), since 1973
• Bochum ( Germany ), since 1980
• Buenos Aires ( Argentina), since 1983
• Veracruz ( Mexico), since 1983
• Clermont- Ferrand (France), since 1988
• Tampa (Florida, USA), since 1991
• Santiago de Compostela (Spain ), since 1993
• Santa Clara (Cuba), since 1995
• Jersey City (USA), since 1998