The Royal Chapel of Bishops: A Historical Sanctuary in Asturias

The Royal Chapel of Bishops, known as the Bishops’ Chapel, is a Roman Catholic pre-romanesque church located next to Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain. It stands in the Boides valley, a place steeped in history, where Alfonso III of Asturias was detained. It is said that there used to be an old convent here, governed by the Benedictine Order, which might have been substituted by the Cistercians in the 13th century. The church was dedicated on 16 September 893, with seven bishops in attendance.

The church is next to the Monasterio de Santa María de Valdediós. The church stands on a classic basilica ground plan with a triple sanctuary, separating the central nave from the side aisles with four semicircular arches. At the western end, there are three enclosures, the central one used as an access vestibule, and two located on the left and right which may have been used to house pilgrims. The vault over the central nave, like the one over the apses, is barreled with a brick ceiling and decorated with al fresco wall painting, alternating a variety of geometric designs.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons