In the peninsular north, we find Asturias which is a destination that is very often chosen not only for its delicious gastronomy and privileged nature but also for its cultural legacy of roman art that visitors can enjoy.
Asturias has one of the greatest artistic patrimonies of the pre-roman and roman times. Visitors will be able to discover why, although we will give you some of the reasons. The rocky nature of mountains in Asturias was the key. When the Arabs conquered this Iberian Peninsula in the VIII century, the cliffy nature in Asturias served as a shelter for native people and Visigoths. This isolation allowed this small Christian kingdom to create an architectural style that would forever characterize its insipient features and culture: The Pre-Romanesque architecture in Asturias.

The Pre-Romanesque architecture in Asturias entered its last stage in the XII century. Roman architecture would rise in the next century. Two very different cultural routes are created from this artistic movement. The first movement, in its capital Oviedo, and the second, in Cangas de Onís.

Oviedo. In the “archaic” Oviedo de Clarín, the gothic cathedral has two roman constructions: the Holy Chamber and the Old Tower- the first, has an IX century headboard. As a curiosity, travellers will find out that here is where pilgrims, who could not get to Santiago, would also win Jubilee.

The route continues to Priorio, where we can find one of the very historic spandrels from the Romanesque art in Asturias. Among the mountains, we see Taverga- an old Benedictine Monastery that has a key monument between the pre-Romanesque and Romanesque architecture. Today, it is a parish church. Travellers can stop and see the very exotic decoration of San Esteban, in Aramil, and from here, to San Salvador de Valdediós.

When the gothic art was booming, Gualterio made his best to keep on working on the Cistercian sobriety in the Santa María Monastery. If you look around, you will find one of the greatest Pre-Romanesque gems only a few metres from there: “the Conventín de Valdediós”.

Amandi is the next stop. Here is where San Juan announces the end of the Roman canon. Its facade is developed by gothic art. Since it is so close, it is worth following the route to Villaviciosa, which is perfect for visitors who wish to drink the best cider and make a stop in the way. In Villaviciosa travellers can find the palace where the Emperor Carlos V spent his night in before arriving to Spain.

Once travellers get to Cangas de Onís, and after enjoying this lovely city, we recommend going to Villanueva. It is worth visiting the San Pedro Monastery, with a small church in the interior that has a beautiful story of knights written on its walls. Finally, in the San Antolín River, there is an X century Monastery that was abandoned and rebuilt in the XII century. Simple but elegant, a visit here is worth it twice: The beauty of this monastery and its proximity to the sea. One again, art and nature are only one thing in Asturias.