Oviedo, Regional capital city in northern Spain
Oviedo is a regional capital in northern Spain, surrounded by gentle mountains and green valleys in the province of Asturias. The old town clusters around a cathedral and several churches, while wide 19th-century boulevards lead to today's city center with shops, cafés, and parks.
Two monks founded a small settlement on these hills in 761, and over the course of the 9th century the site grew into the capital of the Kingdom of Asturias. Rulers chose this protected location as their residence, which led to the construction of several churches and public buildings that now count among the oldest Christian monuments on the Iberian Peninsula.
The name Oviedo comes from a small monastery that once stood on these hills and gave the young settlement its first character. Today many sculptures shape the pedestrian areas, including works by contemporary artists found on street corners and small plazas.
The center is easy to explore on foot, and many streets are reserved for pedestrians, making it simple to move between different neighborhoods. Numerous market halls and small shops open in the morning and close by early afternoon, while bars and restaurants become more lively later in the day.
A narrow lane in the old quarter leads to La Foncalada, a fountain structure from the 9th century that stands as the only preserved example of pre-Romanesque civil architecture in Europe. The building with its small water basin and stone canopy shows how early medieval communities organized their water supply, long before large city squares were laid out.
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