The Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour in Oviedo

The Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour in Oviedo

Photo: Fernando / Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 4.0 , resized

In Oviedo, Asturias, the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour displays a vast evolution of styles, from Pre-Romanesque to Baroque.

The Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour, colloquially referred to as the Cathedral of San Salvador, is located in the centre of Oviedo in the Asturias region of northern Spain. King Alfonso II of Asturias took the first steps in its construction in the 8th century, and the present edifice was begun by Bishop Gutierre of Toledo in 1388, with the tower added by Cardinal Francisco Mendoza de Bobadilla in 1528.

The Cathedral of San Salvador displays an array of architectural styles, ranging from Pre-Romanesque to Baroque, including Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance parts. The Cámara Santa is the most important surviving structure from the primitive pre-Romanesque royal complex, serving as a prominent example of these diverse architectural layers.

The Cámara Santa is a two-story building with a rectangular plan that shelters several burials in its lower floor and keeps a collection of royal treasures and relics in its upper floor, such as the Cross of the Angels and the Victory Cross. It remains a central feature of the cathedral, housing venerable relics brought to Oviedo by Alfonso II.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

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Written by Nicolo Ciampini

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