For the love of churches

 I adore Asturian churches.  Alright, I’m glad we have got that out in the open. I know Gothic are butcher and Romanesque have grandeur but the Pre-Romanesque kirks of Asturias give the impression that, in a world of darkness, embattled by enemies all around, Christianity was being nailed down against the tide of troubles and would survive.  Each is like a light house in the turbulence of the pre-tenth century.  We are going to two of the most famous and photographed, that watch over Oviedo.  There are others.  Here is a website.  https://www.prerromanicoasturias.es/en/inicio-english/


The first of these twin lovelies is Santa María del Naranco.  Ramiro I ordered it to be built as part of a palace complex in 842 and not originally a church. The complex was to include the second church we will visit.  I thought about trying to describe it but gave up.  Here is a link.  https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Mar%C3%ADa_del_Naranco 







The standard hypothesis is that the building was a Royal summer palace.  This year, however, archaeologist César García de Castro stated that Santa María del Naranco could have been a mausoleum, after the discovery of a funerary slab of Ramiro I during restoration work, was dated to the  9th century and therefore contemporary with the construction of the building.




Just up the road is Saint Michael of Lilo.   This is also the product of the workings of King Ramiro I of Asturias. Ramiro lived from c.790 to 850 and was king from 842.  Given these churches seem to have been built when he became king suggests a bit of a project was in hand.  During his reign Spain was plagued by Viking raids.  Given they probably were more interested in the wealth of the Muslim south Ramiro had a bit of an easier time.  This did not prevent him from execting a revolting noble and blinding his sons.  Ramiro did attempt to repopulate Leon, south of the mountains, with Chrisitians but Mohamed I of Cordoba got a bit shirty and sent an army to burn the place down.


Originally  the church had a basilica plan with three naves, but only a third of its length remains, because during the 13th century or early 14th century it fell into ruin, possibly due to the poor condition of the ground or lack of interest from the, now Castillian based monarchs.. Only the vestibule and the base of its three naves remain. Above the first is the royal gallery, flanked on both sides by two small rooms.





The roof is vaulted, using a complex system of half-barrel vaults . The naves are separated by arches resting on columns , an unusual fact since the usual practice in Asturian art is to use pillars as supports. These columns rest on high square bases that house sculptural decoration of small arches that frame figures.

Tomorrow, we descend on Oviedo.


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