Universidad Laboral de Gijón, Cultural center in Gijón, Spain
Universidad Laboral de Gijón is a large complex in the Cabueñes neighborhood of Gijón, Spain, protected as a cultural property and now home to educational and cultural institutions. The buildings are arranged around open courtyards and gardens, with a church, theater, exhibition spaces and faculties of the University of Oviedo.
The Ministry of Labour built the site between 1946 and 1955 to train children whose parents worked in mining and died in accidents. Over the following decades, the role shifted from vocational school to a cultural and educational center hosting university departments and art galleries.
The name recalls a time when the complex served as a training school for the children of miners, and today students, artists and visitors use the spaces for performances, exhibitions and workshops. The LABoral Centro de Arte transforms former classrooms into galleries for contemporary art, linking the industrial past with current creative practice.
Guided tours explain the architecture and history of different parts, including the church, theater and exhibition halls. The large site requires time to explore, as facilities are spread across multiple courtyards and wings.
The elliptical church supports a concrete dome that was among the largest freestanding structures in Spain when completed. Its unusual shape and scale define the silhouette of the entire complex and can be seen from many points across Gijón.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
