Santa María del Naranco Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary at Mount Naranco Iglesia de Santa María del Naranco

Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Province	Asturias
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Inactive
Year consecrated	848
Location
Location	Oviedo, Spain
Architecture
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Pre-Romanesque
Specifications
Direction of façade	O
Length	20 metres (66 ft)
Width	10 metres (33 ft)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name: Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, vi
Designated	1985 (9th session)
Reference no.	312
State Party	Spain
Region	Europe and North America
Spanish Property of Cultural Interest
Official name: Santa María del Naranco
Type	Non-movable
24 January 1885
RI-51-0000047
Website
Official website: http://www.santamariadelnaranco.blogspot.com

View at night

The Church of Saint Mary at Mount Naranco (Spanish: Iglesia de Santa María del Naranco) is a very old and special building. It is located on the side of Mount Naranco, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Oviedo, a city in northern Spain.

This building is an amazing example of Pre-Romanesque Asturian architecture. This means it was built before the Romanesque style became popular. King Ramiro I of Asturias ordered it to be built as a royal palace. It was part of a bigger group of buildings, including the church of San Miguel de Lillo, which is only 100 meters (330 feet) away.

The palace was finished in 842. It was used as a palace but also had a religious purpose. It was officially made sacred (consecrated) in 848. Its design, like the rounded ceiling (barrel vault) with strong ribs, was very advanced for its time. These features made it a clear early example of Romanesque building styles. The decorations on the outside and the tall, arched windows show how carefully it was designed.

The building was recognized as an important national monument in Spain on January 24, 1885. Later, in June 1985, it was listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural (Property of Cultural Interest). In December 1985, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. This means it is considered very important to the world's history and culture.

A Royal Palace Becomes a Church
What Made It Special?
Inside the Palace
Amazing Decorations
How the Building Works
Gallery
See also

A Royal Palace Becomes a Church

This building was first created as a palace for the king to relax in. It sits on the southern side of Mount Naranco, looking towards the city of Oviedo. It was part of a group of royal buildings outside the city.

Around the 12th century, the building's purpose changed. It stopped being a palace and became a church dedicated to St. Mary. The design of Santa María del Naranco was very new and exciting for Pre-Romanesque architecture. It brought in fresh ideas for how buildings looked, were built, and were decorated.

There is a Latin message on the altar inside the church. It tells us the exact date it was made sacred: July 24, 848. It also mentions King Ramiro I, who ordered the building.

What Made It Special?

People who wrote about history long ago were very impressed by this palace. They wrote about it many times. One old book, called the Crónica Silense, written around 1015, mentioned it. It said that King Ramiro I built many structures near Oviedo using stone and marble. It also described a "palace without wood, of admirable construction."

These writers were amazed by its size and elegant shape. They also loved its rich and varied decorations. A big improvement was the use of long, rounded ceilings (barrel vaults) supported by strong arches. This meant they didn't need wooden ceilings anymore. This idea was used a little bit in the Holy Chamber of the Cathedral of San Salvador of Oviedo. But it was fully developed and perfected in Santa María del Naranco.

Inside the Palace

The palace has a rectangular shape and two floors.

Lower Floor: The bottom floor is like a crypt. It is quite low and has a main room in the middle with two smaller rooms on each side.
Upper Floor: You reach the upper floor by climbing two outdoor staircases on the front of the building. This floor has the same layout as the lower one. It has a main hall with six rounded arches built into the walls. These arches are supported by columns. At each end of the hall, there is a viewing area (mirador). These areas are reached through three arches, similar to those on the wall. They rest on columns with a special twisted rope design, which was common in Pre-Romanesque art.

The rounded ceiling (barrel vault) is made from a light stone called tufa. It is held up by six arches that cross the ceiling, resting on decorative supports called consoles.

Amazing Decorations

Santa María del Naranco was a big step forward in how buildings were decorated. It used ideas from painting, gold work, and textiles. The beautiful decorations are mostly found in the main hall and the viewing areas on the upper floor.

Capitals: Look closely at the top parts of the columns, called capitals. They are shaped like cubes or prisms, showing influence from Byzantine art. They are decorated with carvings framed by rope-like patterns. Inside these shapes, you can see carved animals and people.
Medallions: This kind of design is also on the round disks (medallions) above where the arches meet. There are 32 medallions around the building, all similar in size and shape. But their designs are different! They show animals with four legs, birds, bunches of grapes, and even fantasy creatures. This style came from the Visigoth period, which was also influenced by Byzantine art.
Figures: Above the medallions, there are decorative bands also framed by rope patterns. Inside these, you'll see four carved figures arranged in a balanced way. The two upper figures seem to be carrying loads on their heads. The two lower figures are soldiers on horseback holding swords. These figures might have a special meaning, perhaps showing warriors protecting and supporting people who pray. Or they could represent the king's power and the church working together.

Santa María del Naranco also has other important carvings. For the first time, a Greek cross is carved as a symbol of the Asturian monarchy. It was also meant to protect the building from harm. This became a common symbol in the buildings of towns and villages.

Other carvings, like the column tops (capitals) inspired by Corinthian style in the viewing areas, are also beautiful. The altar stone in the eastern viewing area originally came from the nearby Church of San Miguel de Lillo. All these details make this palace a truly unique Pre-Romanesque building. It's special because it's the only palace from that time that still stands, showing both Visigothic and Carolingian court styles.

How the Building Works

The Church of St Mary at Mount Naranco is very different from other buildings of its time. It's almost like an ancient Roman temple, but for Christian worship. It seems the altar was originally in one of the open porch areas. This means people might have worshipped from outside the building.

A big difference is that it had a side entrance. Some people attending services could go inside. The decorations inside are also different from classical Roman styles. The columns have a spiral groove pattern, which is a classical form. But the tops of the columns (capitals) are angular and designed to hold up arches. On the walls, there are interesting round medallions from which the ceiling ribs spring. These seem unique to this style, as they are also found in the church of Santa Cristina de Lena.