Three centuries before the apogee of this universal route began in the 12th century, the Asturian monarch Alfonso II he had already set out for the tomb of the apostle. He was in the year 829, inaugurating the oldest Jacobean route known.
The king in question It connected the city of Oviedo with Compostela through the inland lands of western AsturiasHe reached Iria Flavia, where the hermit Paio had previously had visions of angels pointing to a tumulus on Mount Libradon.
This announcement reached the ears of Bishop Theodomir, who discovered the tomb and informed Alfonso II the Chaste. Alfonso immediately departed for Galicia and ordered a simple church of masonry and mud to be built over the tomb. The king himself gave full information to Charlemagne, and the news spread rapidly throughout Europe.
This primitive route will lose its pre-eminence in favor of the one that runs along the Meseta, although it will be regularly visited between the 11th and 13th centuries, when the cult of San Salvador de Oviedo acts as a powerful magnet for many pilgrims, who deviated from the Camino French in Leon and went to venerate the reliquary of the Holy Chamber. From Oviedo they followed the footsteps of Alfonso II.
But in addition to the itinerary followed by the king, history has decided that Asturias has two main routes of the Camino de Santiago: the Route of the Interior y the Coast Route. Both come together to show the best of our region: sea and mountains, art, tradition, architectural gems, gastronomy, populous villas and hidden places.
We detail below the most important sections of the pilgrim roads in our community:
Route of El Salvador
Port of Pajares-Oviedo.
This is the well-known Inland Route and consists primarily of two stages totaling 58 and a half kilometers. The Camino passes close to high peaks, beech forests, extensive meadows and vertiginous Leon valleys. Already in Asturian lands is the first of the pre-Romanesque jewels that the pilgrim will find: Santa Cristina de Lena in the municipality of Pola de Lena. In this municipality we can rest in a hostel.
Then, heading towards the nearby village of Mieres del Camino, the jacobea road crosses the place of Villallana and the Mieres locality of Ujo, obligatory point of reference that conserves the best Romanesque church of the zone. From here the Camino enters the industrial passage of the central AsturiasContinuing its advance along the Caudal River valley, the town of Olloniego boasts an interesting historical site comprised of an old medieval bridge and the Casatorre de los Quirós.
Heading towards the Asturian capital, We passed through La Manjoya and San Lázaro del CaminoOnce in the town center, the route goes along La Magdalena street, reaches the Town Hall square and continues to the Cathedral square.
Eastern coastal route
Bustio-Oviedo.
It consists of 6 stages that add up to 128 kilometers. The northern road enters Asturias through BustioFrom here, the route offers a landscape of rivers, beaches, cliffs, green meadows, and white limestone, leading to the Jurassic Coast and the Sueve mountain range. The first thing you cross is the Deva River via the Bustio Bridge, which spans the border between Cantabria and Asturias.
The Way then passes through Colombres, capital of the Ribadedeva council, a quiet town where sumptuous mansions built by those who made their fortunes in the Americas stand, such as La Quinta de Guadalupe, now home to the Archive of the Indianos. Heading towards the town of LlanesThe road continues in the shadow of the Sierra de Cuera mountains, passing through the villages of Buelna, Pendueles, Vidiago, and Puertas de Vidiago. The town of Llanes boasts a rich historical heritage, with sections of its walls and medieval buildings, as well as beautiful urban palaces from the 15th to 18th centuries. The road then runs near the Monastery of San Salvador de Celorio and the Romanesque church of San Antolín de Bedón.
After passing through the beautiful town of Nueva and over the Aguamía bridge, you reach the village of RibadesellaThe Camino de Santiago route follows the path of what was formerly the main street – past arcades and houses with coats of arms dating from the 16th to 19th centuries, and the Plateresque façade of the Renaissance palace of El Cutre, now the Town Hall. Crossing the bridge over the Sella River, you reach the Santa Marina beach; from there, the Camino continues to San Pedro, Abeu, and Leces, where there is a pilgrim hostel.
The Way leaves the Ribadesella municipality via the beautiful and expansive Vega beach and the village of Berbes. It then follows the coast very close to the sea. municipality of Caravia and ends at the beach and sale of La Espasa, already in terms of the Colungués council. By Bueño and Covián he approaches the village of Colunga which preserves the chapel of its pilgrims' hospital and its old Romanesque parish church.
En Villaviciosa is Our Lady of Oliva, protogótica church. Further on, the Camino runs next to the Romanesque church of San Juan de Amandi and overcomes the Valdediós River by the Amandi bridge. The Route of the Coast continues its journey through Grases and Niévares, it goes in search of the city of Gijón, which is approached by the parishes of Deva and Cabueñes, where the Labor University rises.
Western coastal route
Oviedo-Santiago de Abres.
7 stages, a total of 155 kilometers. AvilésFounded in 1100, it is the oldest coastal town on the route. Towards it, the path passes through the parishes of Santa Eulalia del Valle and San Juan de Tamón, in Carreño, and San Vicente de Trasona, in the neighboring municipality of CorveraThen it enters the old town of Avilés through Rivero Street, where there was a pilgrims' hospital, near the current hostel, and along the way it discovers remarkable monuments from the medieval period.
From Avilés goes to the council of Castrillónwhere it passes through Quiloño, Piedras Blancas, the municipal capital, and Santiago del Monte. It then heads towards the Nalón River, whose course it crosses, within the municipality of Soto del Barco, via the N-632 road bridge, located at the foot of the medieval castle of San Martín.
It continues, now in the lands of the council of Cudillero, for the places of El Pito, where the magnificent architectural ensemble of the Selgas is located, and Soto de Luiña, where it passes between the Baroque church of Santa María and the house of the hospital of Nuestra Señora del Rosario.
Luarca It preserves old houses with coats of arms and beautiful colonial-style buildings. In Almuña, near the town, there is a pilgrim hostel. The route continues towards Navia, fording the Frejulfe River.
At the top of NaviaThe town, which was once walled, still retains some modern-era buildings; in the newer part of town, there are beautiful mansions built by returning emigrants. Once across the estuary, the Way travels quickly through the municipality of Coaña, stopping at the hospital and chapel of Santa Ana in Jarrio and in the village of Cartavio, before venturing into the municipality of The Francowhose capital, La Caridad, it crosses. The route crosses the Porcía River, the boundary between the municipalities of El Franco and Tapia de CasariegoA branch of the Camino leads to Tapia de Casariego, capital of the council of the same name, which has a hostel.
Already in the lands of the council of Vegadeo, and after crossing its capital, we take the Camino Real de Bustelo that leads to the Eo River and to the villas of Figueras and Castropol. Both locations historically had a pilgrim hospital. From them you can cross the estuary, as before, thanks to a service that regularly makes the passage to Ribadeo, the first Galician town that receives the Camino de la Costa.
How many kilometers are the Primitive Way?
Oviedo-Fonsagrada.
9 stages, a total of 154 kilometers. According to the route followed by the monarch, the road initially runs through the municipalities of Oviedo and the Regueras to enter Grado after crossing the Nalón River via the Peñaflor Bridge. A Roman road also crossed through the territory of Grado, entering Asturias through the Puerto de la Mesa pass. There are references to the existence of three hospitals in the municipality.
After the Sanctuary of the Fresno tree we enter into Meeting RoomsWe are probably facing one of the stages with the greatest monumental density of the Asturian primitive WayIn the Salas region there were several pilgrim hospitals. There is evidence of hospitals in: Cornellana, Salas, La Espina, Labio, and Faedo.
The Road continues towards Tineo along the right bank of the Nonaya River. Back in 1222, King Alfonso IX ordered that all pilgrims pass through Tineo and along the Obona Monastery.
We left the municipality in La Lavadoira to enter the council of Allande and get closer to its municipal capital, Pola de Allande, which has a shelter. It is one of the most unpopulated sections of the Asturian Jacobean itinerary, but it has the particular charm of enjoying one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Asturian mountain that leads us to Grandas de Salime, the last council of this route in lands of the Principality and that delights us with two obligatory visits: the Parish Church of San Salvador of excellent Romanesque portal, and the Ethnographic Museum of Grandas de Salime, a reference point of traditional Asturian culture.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
