Iglesia de San Salvador (Fuentes) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Iglesia de San Salvador (Fuentes)
Location	Asturias,  Spain

The Iglesia de San Salvador (which means 'Church of San Salvador') is an old church in the town of Fuentes, Spain. It's built in a style called Romanesque, which was popular a long time ago. This church is part of the Roman Catholic faith and is located in a beautiful area called Villaviciosa in Asturias.

History of the Church

Early Beginnings

The Church of San Salvador has a long history. Records show it existed as early as 1021. An important person named Diego Perez supported the church at that time. Bishop Adaganeo I officially dedicated it. The main church building was likely constructed in the 12th century.

Important Events

In 1385, the area around Villaviciosa was mentioned by the Bishop of Oviedo. Later, in 1625, the church was noted in documents from the Monastery of San Pelayo in Oviedo. By the 1700s, it was serving as a local parish church for the community.

The church was recognized as an Artistic Historical Monument in 1931. This means it was considered a very important historical building. Sadly, during the Spanish Civil War, the church was damaged by fire. But it was carefully rebuilt to look like its original form in 1950.

The Stolen Treasure

The church once had a very special item: a processional crucifix. This was a cross used in religious parades. It was made of silver and gilded wood, decorated with jewels and an old Roman cameo. This crucifix was a masterpiece of medieval Asturian art.

However, in 1898, this valuable cross was stolen. It was then sold to private collectors, first in France and later in America. In 1917, a famous collector named J. Pierpont Morgan gave it to the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Today, you can see this amazing piece of history displayed there.

References

• Fundacio Cardin

See also

In Spanish: Iglesia de San Salvador (Fuentes) para niños