History and Public Art in Oviedo

I finally have a few minutes to summarize a morning walk to some really old churches we took a couple weeks ago and a mini-tour of the most famous public art of Oviedo. Details after the jump.

So, first, a couple of obligatory pictures of the Little Lady. On the left, happy to be home from our long walk to the pre-Romanesque churches in the countryside outside of Oviedo. On the right, enjoying a walk around Oviedo to see some of the outdoor sculptures that are ubiquitous in this city.

If you haven't noticed from some of the earlier pictures I've posted of Oviedo, this place is OLD. Anyone who's been to Europe knows that there is nothing much of note that is truly old in the U.S. In Oviedo, there is plenty. And a few weekends ago we decided to take a walk a few kilometers out of town to visit some pre-Romanesque churches. That means prior to the Romanesque period of architecture. That is, approximately, prior to 1000. Yes, more than 1,000 years ago. That's old.

Two such churches are located in the countryside of Oviedo - San Miguel de Lillo and Santa Maria del Naranco. We walked out to these UNESCO World Heritage sites and took a guided tour. First, San Miguel de Lillo. Only one good picture, as LL was having a bit of a tough time and we had to keep moving to stay with the tour. It was inaugurated in 848. You'll note that it looks small. It is. But it wasn't always. It began as a basilica with three aisles. Unfortunately, most of the structure fell down in the 1100s. But what is left is pretty cool to see. It's hard to imagine what it would have been like when it was in use.

Next up is Santa Maria del Naranco. Also completed in the 9th century, this building was originally a royal retreat. It become a church several hundred years later, and it is generally in much better condition than the other nearby church. It has two levels, the primary one easily imagined as a church, and the lower part being a crypt. The stone work in this building is beautiful, with a lot of well-preserved stone artwork and carvings on the walls. It's really amazing to be in such an old place with so much history.

Now, on to a series of pictures of the LL with several sculptures around town. One of the distinguishing features of Oviedo is its investments in public art, in particular, sculptures of figures in some way connected to the history or cultural heritage of Oviedo. There are dozens of these sculptures around town, so we decided to chronicle a few of them. (We skipped the Woody Allen statue, though he is important because he was and is a big cheerleader for Oviedo. He included the town in one of his films, one that reflected positively on Oviedo and a bit less so on Barcelona.) But you can see the connection to various agricultural activities, as well as more modern takes on history and life in Asturias. It's hard to believe we only have a week left in Oviedo. I hope we get a chance to come back someday. It's a very pleasant place, and an easy place to live. We really do love it.