San Miguel de Lillo

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Just 300 steps from the Santa María del Naranco, we find its companion building: San Miguel de Lillo. Ramiro I built both in the same year, 848, for different purposes; Santa María as a recreational palace, and San Miguel as a church. Together, they make Oviedo’s Naranco Hill one of the most important areas for Pre-Romanesque art in all of Europe. San Miguel de LilloSan Miguel de Lillo

Unlike the fully intact palace, the church of San Miguel has only partially survived into the present day. In the 12th or 13th century, a landslide caused the collapse of most of the cross-shaped structure, leaving only the western third. That’s still enough to impress visitors, though, as well as architectural scholars. Like the Santa María, the San Miguel de Lillo was far ahead of its time.

Architectural highlights of the church’s remains include original wall paintings, faded by still visible, depicting a throne and a human form. A gorgeous window at the top, intricately sculpted from a single stone, allows light into the church, illuminating the perfectly preserved door jambs at the entrance. These are carved in the shape of the sovereign and his court. Another unusual feature of the San Miguel is an upper royal balcony, for the king to listen to services.

Unfortunately pictures were not allowed inside, probably due to the fragile wall paintings, but we got some shots of the church’s exterior. Guided visits to San Miguel de Lillo are in conjunction with the Santa María, from where they leave.

-From our Oviedo Travel Blog


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(Edited)

Undoubtedly, this building of San Miguel de Lillo or Liño, as it is also known, is one of the most fascinating examples of an Art, Asturian, which many call pre-Romanesque, unique in its kind. Its location, as you say, about 300 meters from that magnificent building, designed as a palace and later converted into a church, Santa María de Naranco, reminds me a lot of a certain episode in the chronicles of King Arturo, as it is located in a place drilled by underground sources, which have caused the various subsidence that it has suffered throughout its long history. But I will tell you another secret added to this type of Asturian temples: like the vast majority, it has, above the arena of the upper floor, a place from which kings and nobles attended the celebration of mass, conveniently separated from the common people. , a mysterious chapel, without any access, of whose use there is only conjecture and it continues to be a great mystery. As I said, these curious 'chapels' are called 'chapels of San Miguel' and it may (this is a simple guess of mine) that apart from the fact that they could have to do with ancient eschatological traditions, common to many European peoples. , are the precedent of what in later Romanesque churches is called 'lantern of the dead', a small cubicle that according to historians served to orient pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compostela at night or on days of intense fog. A fascinating entry and some great photographs that have brought back fond memories. An affectionate greeting.

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Thank you so much for the extra insight and information, it's fascinating! Both places, the San Miguel de Lillo or the Santa María de Naranco - they seem so small in size and to imagine that they're even able to hold secret areas like the mysterious chapel ... .it blows my mind!

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Thank you very much for bringing me fond memories. There are many mysterious things in these infinite paths that now, unfortunately, are forbidden to continue investigating. But we will take it out.

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