France/Spain 2011 - Day 10, Part 1 - Santa María del Naranco

"In answer to the question of why it happened, I offer the modest proposal that our Universe is simply one of those things which happen from time to time." - Edward P. Tryon

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France/Spain 2011
Day 10 - 26th March - Santa María del Naranco (Part 1)

We started off the day by visiting the Palace Chapel of King Ramiro I of Asturias, San Miguel de Lillo. I didn't know where the rest of the palace was (we visited another building later, but presumably everything else had been wood or was otherwise destroyed).


Sign pointing out it's a Pre-Romanesque monument


Unfortunately it was under renovation.


Back view


Door


Guy on morning mountain walk


Guy cycling up a very steep slope. Most Spanish cyclists wear very professional gear.

Next was the splended Santa María del Naranco, also pre-Romanesque. It was built as a palace but was later converted into a church.


Unfortunately it was swarming with a Spanish elderly tour group.

For some strange reason it reminded me of:



Probably because it was elevated, on a hill and the porch was large. Or maybe I was just feeling whimsical that morning.




Off-side view


Member of the group and church




The city it overlooked (Oviedo) wasn't as pretty though


View of the graceful pillars

The Rough Guide proclaimed this "the greatest Asturian church, indeed the architectural gem of the principality". I was inclined to agree.


Steps up on both sides


Through the arch


Side

Entrance was only by guided tour, and the Spanish group had crowded us out. We were asked to wait for the next tour even though there were only 3 of us (and we had come first), but eventually we got them to let us in. This was fortunate, or we'd have had to skip it to hit León before siesta.


Interior view: I was going to call the circles rosettes, but that's the wrong term.

Inside, it was very bare.


Old man playing golf with his stick


Porch


Porch architecture


Old people in church


More of the circular design


Columns


There were some pictures of the other church, which had some cartoony wall paintings.


Barrel vaulted roof

We then went to the basement level.


Cross windows




Windows from outside


Single window


Window detail


Windows


Church from side

The hills were so nice, I was tempted to do a Sound of Music thing, but we wouldn't have been able to hit León, and I had no soundtrack.