Car Rental Oviedo

The tower of Oviedo's Cathedral marks the starting point of any tour of the provincial capital. Built in the flamboyant Gothic style, its tower, rose window and entrance portico guard the greatest symbols of Asturias. The chapel of San Miguel, or Cámara Santa, houses the Holy Chest, the Cross of los Ángeles and the Cross of la Victoria, relics also visited by the pilgrims heading for the holy city of Santiago de Compostela. These symbols appear on the coats of arms of both Oviedo and the Principality of Asturias.

In the cathedral area we can see examples of some of the most significant buildings in Oviedo: the church of San Tirso, the Fine Arts Museum or the Archaeological Museum, these latter two housed in the former Velarde Palace and the convent of San Vicente. Given the impossibility of preserving a great many architectural features and sculptures in the pre-Romanesque style (8th- 10th centuries) in their places of origin, in buildings scattered among the valleys, mountains and small villages, pieces from these churches can be found in the Archaeological Museum. In this way, we can cover the entire history of art in Asturias from the Bronze Age, as well as seeing prehistoric, Roman, Visigothic and Romanesque collections.

The innovative pre-Romanesque style of Asturias, a precursor to the Romanesque and Gothic styles, is a heritage unique to these lands. Oviedo itself provides the opportunity to take in some of the most significant buildings, such as Santa María del Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo and San Julián de los Prados, all of them National Monuments. These temples and palaces, along with Santa Cristina de Lena, la Cámara Santa and la Foncalada (a medieval fountain) have been given World Heritage status by UNESCO.

The city of Oviedo is made up of interesting squares which help us to get around the city. The Cathedral square leads us to the square of Alfonso II the Chaste, which gathers together the palaces of Valdecarzana and la Rúa. In Cimadevilla, the oldest part of the historic quarter, we will find the unusual plaza de Trascorrales, which houses the former exchange, and Constitution Square. The 18th-century City Hall building and the church of San Isidoro stand here. And next door, the arcaded Fontán Square, a name also given to the old iron and glass market. The coloured houses which stand on this square also give on to the lively square of Daoíz y Velarde. A great many porches open out onto this area serving natural cider.