Capilla de la Balesquida, Baroque chapel near Cathedral Plaza Alfonso II el Casto, Oviedo, Spain
Capilla de la Balesquida is a baroque chapel marked by ornamental stonework and detailed carved elements across its exterior walls. The building sits directly adjacent to the Cathedral of Oviedo, sharing the plaza and forming part of the historic religious precinct.
The chapel was established in the 13th century and underwent major reconstruction in the early 1700s that gave it the baroque appearance visitors see today. This transformation marked a shift in architectural taste across the city's religious spaces during that period.
The chapel served as a gathering place for the tailors guild, whose presence shaped the neighborhood through their work and devotion. The scissors carved on the building remain a visible reminder of this craft community that once thrived nearby.
The chapel is located right beside the Cathedral on the main plaza, making it easy to visit while exploring the city center. Its position allows you to see several religious buildings during a single walk through this historic quarter.
The carved scissors on the exterior are not merely decorative but served as a direct symbol of guild authority and power in medieval city life. Few visitors realize that these marks proclaimed the tailors' jurisdiction over the space and their standing in civic affairs.
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