Scholars remind us that it was founded by none other than Alfonso II the Chaste , that king who, amidst wars with Muslims and uncertain alliances with the Franks, still found the time and energy to fill Oviedo with churches, palaces, and relics. But let's be honest: from that remote 9th century, barely a trace of pre-Romanesque architecture remains in its walls—an arch here, some foundations there. Time transformed it in the 12th and 14th centuries, so that what we see today is more a successive reconstruction than an intact relic.
If anything remains of the temple erected by Alfonso II the Chaste, it is precisely that section of wall at the apse with its three pre-Romanesque arches, which constitute its architectural emblem: blind, austere, and solemn . The capitals of the columns feature the Asturian rope-like collar and simple leaves in the style of Roman capitals.
The visitor who leaves the majesty of the Cathedral for a few minutes discovers in San Tirso the true measure of humanity: a small, austere church , devoid of excessive ornamentation or ostentatious marble. A distinct style was being forged: Asturian Pre-Romanesque, a sign of a political and religious project that sought in architecture a reflection of its legitimacy.
And if we look up towards Mount Naranco, we will find in Santa María —a palace turned temple—a more ambitious version of that same idea. There, the arches are no longer three silent ones, but a symphony of openings that converse with the landscape and the light, transformed into a symbol of the power of Ramiro I. The starkness of San Tirso is transformed into architectural exuberance, but the root is the same: to affirm the solidity of a power that was still fragile.
Something similar occurs in San Julián de los Prados , that spacious and luminous basilica that Alfonso II commissioned for Oviedo as if he wanted to bring back a piece of lost Toledo. There, the arches multiply and support an almost Roman interior space, while the frescoes—now faded—insisted on giving an air of imperial eternity to a provincial court.
And if we approach San Salvador de Valdediós , in Villaviciosa, the arches take on a different character: there the Romanesque style is already evident, with greater spatial complexity, but without losing the essence of that Asturian art that was born from the need to assert itself among mountains and the will to survive among invasions.
The three arches of San Tirso, therefore, are like the abbreviated catechism of a style.
It's worth going inside, even if just for a moment, because San Tirso doesn't ask for solemnity but rather for companionship. There stands its altarpiece, dignified and luminous , and there the quiet masses still resonate, at seven in the evening or at noon on Sundays, as if reminding us that the city doesn't live only from the student bustle and the lively bars and restaurants, but also from the gentle rhythm of its bells. Inside, we can also find the tomb of Balesquita Giráldez, known, among other things, for being the founder of the chapel known as the Chapel of Balesquida.
Because of its history and architectural beauty, in 1931 this church was listed as a Cultural Heritage Site.
San Tirso el Real mass schedule
- Monday to Friday: 19 p.m.
- Saturdays and holiday eves: 7:00 p.m.
- Sundays and holidays: 12:30 and 19:00.
Source: Archdiocese of Oviedo.
Pre-Romanesque Asturian
The city of Oviedo, as the capital of the Kingdom of Asturias, holds remarkable architectural gems that were forged over 200 years of monarchy and Asturian pre-Romanesque art. These dates back to the beginning of the reign of Don Pelayo in 722 until the death of Alfonso III in 910, when the royal capital was moved to León.
In Asturias, there are 14 buildings in varying states of preservation , primarily located in the central part of the region. A visit is highly recommended if you wish to gain a perspective on this art form, presented in a more modest and understated way.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
