(Redirected from Asturia):''For other uses, see
Asturias (disambiguation).''
Traditional '
horru' grain barn, Parque Natural de Redes. December 2004
The '
principality of Asturias' (
Spanish: ''Principado de Asturias'',
Asturian: ''Principáu d'Asturies'' or ''Asturies'') is an
autonomous community within the kingdom of
Spain, former ''Kingdom of Asturias'' in the
Middle Ages. It is situated on the north coast facing the
Cantabrian Sea (''Mar Cantábrico'', the Spanish name for the
Bay of Biscay).
The most important cities are the provincial capital,
Oviedo (''Uviéu''), the seaport and largest city
Gijón (''Xixón''), and the industrial town of
Avilés. Other towns include
''Mieres'',
Langreo (''Llangréu'') (with
La Felguera and
Sama), Siero,
Cangas de Onís (''Cangues''), Cangas del Narcea,
Grado (''Grau''), Lena (''Llena''), Laviana (''Llaviana''), El Entrego (''L'Entregu''),
Villaviciosa,
Vegadeo ( ''A Veiga'' ), and
Llanes. ''See also
List of municipalities in Asturias,
Comarcas of Asturias.''
Asturias is bordered on the east by
Cantabria, on the south by
Castilla y León, on the west by
Galicia, and on the north by the
Cantabrian Sea.
History
Asturias has been occupied by humans since the
Lower Paleolithic era; and during the
Upper Paleolithic was characterized by cave paintings in the eastern part of the area. In the
Mesolithic period a native culture developed, that of the ''Asturiense'', and later, with the introduction of the
Bronze Age,
megaliths and
tumuli were constructed. In the
Iron Age, the territory came under the cultural influence of the
Celts; the local celtic peoples, known as the
Astures, were comprised of tribes such as the ''Luggones'', the ''Pesicos'', and others, who populated the entire area with ''
castros'' (fortified hill-towns). Today the
Astur celtic influence persists in
toponyms, such as those of rivers and mountains.
With the conquest of Asturias by the
Romans under
Augustus (
29-
19 BC), the region entered into the annals of
history. After several centuries without foreign presence, the
Suebi and
Visigoths occupied the land from the
6th century AD to the beginning of the
8th century, ending with the . However, as it had been for the Romans and Visigoths, the Moors did not find mountainous territory easy to conquer, and the lands along Spain's northern coast never fully became part of
Islamic Spain. Rather, with the beginning of the Moorish conquest in the 8th century, this region became a refuge for
Christian nobles, and in
722 a ''de facto'' independent kingdom was established, the ''Regnum Asturorum'' (
Kingdom of Asturias), which was to became the cradle of the incipient ''
Reconquista'' (Reconquest).¹
In the
10th century, the Kingdom of Asturias gave way to the
Kingdom of León, and during the
Middle Ages the geographic isolation of the territory made historical references scarce. Through the rebellion of
Henry II of Castile in the
14th century, the Principality of Asturias was established. The most famous proponents of independence were Gonzalo Peláez and Queen Urraca, who while achieving significant victories were ultimately defeated by
Castilian troops. After its integration into the
Kingdom of Spain, Asturias provided the Spanish court with high-ranking aristocrats and played an important role in the colonization of the Americas; in the
16th century the population reached 100,000 for the first time, and within another century that number would double due the arrival of
American corn.
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos
During the 18th century, Asturias was one of the centres of the Spanish Enlightenment. The renowned thinker Benito de Feijoo settled in the Benedictine Monastery of San Vicente,
Oviedo.
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, a polymath and prominent reformer and politician of the late 18th century, was born in the seaside town of
Gijón.
The
Industrial Revolution came to Asturias with the discovery and systematic exploitation, after 1830, of coal and iron resources. At the same time there was significant migration to the
Americas (especially
Argentina,
Uruguay,
Cuba and
Mexico); those who succeeded overseas often returned to their native land much wealthier. These entrepreneurs were known collectively as 'Indianos', for having visited and made their fortunes in the
West Indies and beyond. The heritage of these wealthy families can still be seen in Asturias today: many large 'modernista' villas are dotted across the region, as well as cultural institutions such as free schools and public libraries.
Like all Spain, Asturias played its part in the events that led up to and including the
Spanish Civil War. In
1934, the left-wing workers' movement fought the right-wing government of the
Second Spanish Republic in the so-called 'Revolution of Asturias'. Troops under the command of
Francisco Franco were brought from the North African colonies to put down the rebellion and a ferocious oppression followed. As a result, Asturias remained loyal to the democratic republican government during the
Spanish Civil War, and was the scene of an extraordinary defence in extreme terrain, the
Battle of El Mazuco. With Franco eventually gaining control of all Spain, Asturias — traditionally linked to the Spanish crown — was known merely as the 'Province of Oviedo' from 1936 until Franco's death in 1975. The province's name was restored fully after the return of democracy to Spain, in 1977.
In 1982 Asturias became an
Autonomous Community within the decentralized territorial structure established by the Constitution of 1978. The Asturian regional government holds comprehensive competencies in important areas such as health, education and protection of the environment. Since 1999 the President of the Government of Asturias has been Vicente Álvarez Areces, of the Spanish Socialist Worker's Party (
PSOE).
¹
For this reason, since the 14th century the heir to the Spanish throne has automatically taken the title Prince of Asturias, much as the heir to the British throne is the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland.
Geography and climate
The Picos de Europa, from Parque Natural de Redes. December 2004
The
Cantabrian Mountains (''Cordillera Cantábrica'') form Asturias's natural border with the province of
León to the south. In the eastern range, the
Picos de Europa National Park contains the highest and arguably most spectacular mountains, rising to 2648 metres (8688 feet) at the Torrecerredo peak. Other notable features of this predominantly-limestone range are the Parque Natural de Redes in the central east, the central Ubiñas south of
Oviedo, and the Parque Natural de Somiedo in the west. The Cantabrian mountains offer opportunities for activities such as climbing, walking, skiing and caving, and extend some 200 kilometres in total, as far as
Galicia province to the west of Asturias, and
Cantabria province to the east.
The Asturian coastline is extensive, with hundreds of beaches, coves and natural sea caves. Notable examples include the Playa del Silencio (''Beach of Silence'') near the fishing village of Cudillero (west of
Gijón), as well as the many beaches surrounding the summer resort of Llanes, such as the Barro, Ballota and Torimbia (the latter a predominantly
nudist beach). Most of Asturias' beaches are sandy, clean and bordered by steep cliffs, on top of which it is not unusual to see grazing livestock.
Playa de Ballota, near Andrin,
Llanes. June 2005
The key features of Asturian geography are its rugged coastal cliffs and the mountainous interior.
The climate of Asturias, as with the rest of northwest Spain, is more varied than that of southern parts of the country. Summers are generally humid and warm, with considerable sunshine, but also some rain. Winters are fairly mild but with some very cold snaps. The cold is especially felt in the mountains, where snow is present from November till May. Both rain and sunshine are regular weather features of Asturian winters. Annual rainfall is above 900 mm (35.4 in) throughout the region (e.g. Gijón, 971 mm or 38.2 in), but it increases as one travels inland, and reaches its peak in the
Picos de Europa (e.g. Amieva, 1800 mm or 76 in). Asturias is regarded to be a part of so called
Green Spain.
Languages
The only official language in Asturias is Spanish. The
Asturian language is also spoken, and is protected by ''Ley 1/1998, de 23 de marzo, de uso y promoción del bable/asturiano'' ('Law 1/1998, of March 23, of Use and Promotion of Bable/Asturian'). It is used sometimes by the Asturian
civil service. In the western part of Asturias,
Eonavian is also spoken, and its promotion also falls under the responsibility of Law 1/1998. Whether Eonavian is a
dialect continuum or a variety of
Galician language, however, is a subject of debate, and its use in the Asturian Administration is minor compared to the use of the Asturian language. There is an ongoing process to change all
place names in Asturias into traditional Asturian and Eonavian ones.
Food and drink
:''See main article:
Asturian cuisine''
''Fabada asturiana'', a typical dish of Asturias
While Asturias is especially known for its
seafood, the most famous regional dish is ''
fabada asturiana'', a rich stew made with large white
beans (''fabes''), shoulder of
pork (''lacón''), black sausage (''
morcilla''), spicy
sausage (''
chorizo''), and sometimes
saffron (''azafrán'').
Apple groves foster the production of the traditional alcoholic drink, a natural
cider (''sidra''). When Asturian cider is served it is poured in a peculiar way, ''El Escanciado'': since it is natural and bottled without gas, the bottle must be held above the head allowing for a long vertical pour (requiring considerable skill and accuracy) which aerates the cider as it splashes into the glass below. This gives it a pleasant "zingy" taste. The glass is passed around and everyone drinks from the same glass. After drinking most of the glass, it is customary to splash a little out onto the ground, as a way to clean the glass for the next person.
Asturian
cheese, especially
Cabrales, are also famous throughout Spain and beyond; Asturias is often called "the land of cheeses" (''el país de los quesos'') due to the product's diversity and quality in this region.
Economy
For centuries the backbone of the Asturian economy was
agriculture, and
fishing.
Milk production and its derivatives was also traditional, but its big development was a byproduct of the economic expansion of the late 1960's. Nowadays, products from the Central Lechera Asturiana are being commercialised all over Spain.
The main regional industry in modern times, however, was
coal mining and
steel production: in the times of
Francisco Franco's dictatorship, it was the centre of Spain's steel industry. The then state-owned ENSIDESA steel company is now part of the privatised
Aceralia, now part of the
ARCELOR Group. The industry created many jobs which resulted in significant migration from other regions in Spain, mainly
Extremadura,
Andalusia and
Castilla y León.
The steel industry is now in decline, as is mining, as a result of competition from Eastern Europe, high costs of production, and decline in global steel demand. Regional economic growth is below the broader Spanish rate, though in recent years growth in service industries has helped reduce Asturias's high rate of unemployment. Large out-of-town retail parks have opened near the region's largest cities (Gijón and Oviedo), whilst the ever-present Spanish construction industry appears to continue to thrive.
Asturias has benefited extensively since 1986 from
European Union investment in roads and other essential
infrastructure, though there has also been some controversy regarding how these funds are spent, for example, on miners' pensions.
The Center for the Development of Information and Communication Technologies (
CTIC) is located in Asturias. A non-profit organization, made up of information technologies firms and the Government of the Principality, it is best known for producing The Web Accessibility Test (
TAW), a free tool for the analysis of Web sites.
Tourist attractions
Oviedo Cathedral and Plaza. April 2005
Asturian countryside near Pola de Lena
Major attractions
Oviedo, the capital city of Asturias: a clean, picturesque city with a diverse architectural heritage. Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, a
pre-Romanesque church and a palace respectively, which were built by the first Asturian kings on Mount Naranco, to the north of the city.
The
Picos de Europa National park, and other parts of the Asturian mountain range: The most famous mountain in the park is the Picu Urriellu (2519 m or 8262 ft), also known as ''El Naranjo de Bulnes'', a molar-shaped peak which glows orange in the evening sun, hence its name. Weather permitting, it can be viewed clearly from Camarmeña village, near Poncebos, south of Arenas de Cabrales.
The shrine to the Virgin Mary of
Covadonga and the mountain lakes (''Los Lagos''), near Cangas de Onís: Legend has it that in the 8th century, the Virgin blessed Asturian Christian forces with a well-timed signal to attack Spain's Moorish conquerors, thereby taking the invaders by surprise. The ''
Reconquista'' and eventual unification of all Spain is therefore said to have started in this very location.
The Asturian coast: especially the beaches in and around the summer resort of
Llanes, and the Playa del Silencio near Cudillero fishing village.
Other places of interest
Somiedo Lake
★ Ceceda village: east of
Oviedo along the N634 road. Of particular interest in this exemplary settlement are the traditional ''horreo'' grain silos, raised on stilts so as to keep field mice from getting at the grain.
★ The Dobra River: south of
Cangas de Onís, famous for its unusual colour and natural beauty.
★ The ''senda costera'' (coastal way) between Pendueles and
Llanes: This partly-paved nature route takes in some of Asturias' most spectacular coastal scenery, such as the noisy ''bufones'' (large water spouts created naturally by the erosion of the sea) and the Playa de Ballota.
★ The unusual rock formation on the beach at Buelna village: east of
Llanes. Best viewed at low tide.
More Information
Oficial Tourist Information Website
Transportation
Air
Asturias is served by
Asturias International Airport (OVD), 40 kilometres from Oviedo, near the northwest coast and the industrial town of Avilés.
★ 'International carriers'
★
★ A UK-based international carrier,
easyJet, began daily flights to Asturias airport in March 2005, it operates to
Stansted Airport, which the airline uses as a major hub. During the winter period, easyJet usually reduces flying frequency to four flights per week.
★
★ A German-based carrier,
Air Berlin, began flights to Asturias airport in November 2006, it operates to
Mallorca which the airline uses as a major hub.
★ Several 'National Carriers' also link Asturias to
Madrid and
Barcelona,
Brussels,
Paris,
Seville and others.
★
★
Iberia
★
★
Spanair
★
★
Air Asturias inaugurated flights in November 2006 and was based at
Ranon Airport (OVD).
Air Asturias connected the region to Madrid, Paris, Lisbon and Rome. It planned to expand its network to other national, European and inter-continental destinations by 2007, but folded down the same year.
Eastern Asturias is also easily accessible from
Santander Airport. Recent improvements introduced in the road network permit flying into
Santander and later driving into Asturias, which can be entered in
than one hour's drive.
Cheap flights to
Santander Airport operated by the Irish airline
Ryanair can be from the following destinations: Frankfurt Hahn, Liverpool, London Stansted and Rome Ciampino.
Sea
'
El Musel' (the Port of Gijon) is able to receive cruise ships of any size.
Companies as P&O, Swan Hellenic or Hapag Lloyd choose the Port of Gijón every year for their calls in the
Atlantic European Coast.
The following areas are available for cruise vessels:
:
★ Moliner quay: 313 m berthing with 14 m draught.
:
★ 7ª Alignment: 326 m with 12 m draught.
:
★ Espigón II. South alignment. 360 m berth with 9 m draught.
These locations allow a high degree of access control with security guaranteed for both vessels and passengers alike. The city centre is only 4 km away and the Port Authority provides dedicated coach connection allowing passengers to take advantage of the cultural,
gastronomic and commercial opportunities that Gijón has to offer.
Train
Spain's national
RENFE rail network also serves Asturias well; trains regularly depart to and from the Spanish interior. Major stops are the regional capital,
Oviedo, and the main coastal city,
Gijón. Meanwhile the
FEVE rail company links the centre of the region with Eastern and Western Asturias.
★ ''See also:''
Cercanías Asturias
Bus
There is also a comprehensive bus service run by the
ALSA company. It links
Avilés,
Gijón,
Oviedo and
Mieres with
Madrid and other major towns, several times a day. These include services to
Barcelona,
Salamanca,
León,
Valladolid,
La Coruña,
Bilbao,
Seville,
San Sebastián,
Paris,
Brussels and
Nice, to name just a few.
Music
Asturian anthem
The Asturian anthem
Asturias, patria querida (Asturias, my dear motherland) was a popular song adopted as the region's anthem and formalised by ''Ley 1/1984, de 27 de Abríl''.
According to a popular myth, this song is sung by drunk people all over Spain; in reality, however, this is extremely uncommon. This notion might have been introduced in the time of the
Spanish Civil War by
Francisco Franco's side to discredit Asturias, since this song was born in the mining community - a centre of Spanish socialism. Some variants of the anthem were also used by the
Republicans during the Spanish Civil War and the
1934 miners' uprising that preceded the war.
Other
"
Asturias" is also the name of the fifth movement of the ''Suite Española, Op. 47'' by Spanish composer
Isaac Albéniz. Nevertheless, the music has little in common with the region's own Folklore. More authentic is Rimsky Korsakov's Spanish Cappriccio, which quotes liberally from Asturian musical heritage.
Famous citizens
★
Leopoldo Alas "Clarín", 19th century author of ''La Regenta'', a seminal work in the Spanish literary canon
★
Fernando Alonso,
Formula 1 racing driver, 2005 and 2006 world champion
★
Francisco Álvarez Cascos, minister in Spain's government 1996-2000 and 2000-2004
★
Torcuato Fernández-Miranda, key lawmaker during the
Spanish transition to democracy
★
Letizia, Princess of Asturias, a native of
Oviedo and wife of
Felipe, Prince of Asturias
★
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, philosopher, politician,
Enlightenment thinker
★
Severo Ochoa, 1959
Nobel Prize winner for medicine
★
Carmen Polo, wife of Spanish dictator
Francisco Franco
★
Rodrigo Rato Figaredo, vice president in Spain's government 1996-2004, director of the
International Monetary Fund
★
David Villa, Valencia C.F. and Spain international football star
See also
★
Asturian people
★
Kingdom of Asturias
★
Felipe, Prince of Asturias
★
Asturian art
★
Prince of Asturias Awards
★
Asturian cinema
★ Asturias (Melody)
References
★ Bowen-Jones, H. and W.B. Fisher. ''Spain: An Introductory Geography''. New York: Praeger, 1966.
★ Dresner, Denise, ed. ''Guide to the World''. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1998. S.v. "Asturias"
★ ''Encyclopedia Americana''. Danbury: Grolier, 2002. S.v. "Asturias"
★ ''Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary''. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 1997. S.v. "Asturias"
External links
★
Government of the Principality of Asturias - Official Website
★
InfoAsturias - Official Tourist Information Website
★
Visit Asturias A guide in English
★
Asturias Guide Complete tourism guide to Asturias in English
★
University of Oviedo
★
El Musel, the Port of Gijón
★
Investment Agency of the Principality of Asturias - Website
★
A guide to the natural history of Asturias
★
Asturias Nature Photography
★
Photos of Asturias
★
Asturias images: Oviedo
★
Asturias images: Valdés
★
Asturias images: Cudillero
★
Asturias images: Luarca
★
Asturias: Beaches, Monuments and Routes
★
AsturianUS: Website dedicated to the Asturian-American migration
★
Images of Asturias, Guide to Asturian Gastronomy and Virtual tours: Oviedo, Gijon, Llanes, Picos de Europa and more...
★
Spanish Pre-Romanesque Art Guide; General Characteristics of the Asturian Art
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