Torre vieja de San Salvador de Oviedo, Medieval tower at Cathedral of San Salvador, Oviedo, Spain
The old tower of San Salvador is a rectangular stone structure standing about 20 meters tall, with eight arched windows arranged in the bell section at its upper level. The building contains three floors, with the lower sections featuring minimal window openings that reflect its original defensive design.
King Alfonso III of Asturias ordered this defensive structure built in the late 9th century to guard cathedral relics from raids by Normans and Muslim forces. The building represents an early medieval response to the security threats that churches faced during that troubled period.
An inscription on the tower's northern wall records how Prince Alfonso and his wife Scemena dedicated the structure to protect sacred relics stored inside. This dedication reveals how important safeguarding religious treasures was to the ruling family of that era.
The tower stands directly attached to the cathedral and forms part of the larger church complex, making it best visited as part of a broader tour of the entire site. The best views of the structure and its details can be found from the surrounding squares and streets around the cathedral.
The structure displays two distinct architectural phases with an older rectangular base and a later addition featuring a bell tower section with columned arcades. This blend of older and newer elements allows visitors to observe how building techniques evolved across generations.
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