Santuario de Covadonga

History

The Holy Cave of Our Lady of Covadonga is a Catholic sanctuary located in Asturias, northern Spain. Covadonga is the heart of Asturias in a number of ways. Covadonga’s Holy Cave holds the tomb of Pelayo, who in 722 won the Battle of Covadonga against the Muslim Moors, and later became the first King of Asturias. The victory of Covadonga started the so called Reconquest, a fight of some 800 years between the Muslims and Christians. During the first 200 years after the battle, Asturias was the Christian stronghold in the Iberian Peninsula.

In addition to the Holy Cave, the sanctuary is made up of a 19th century basilica, the Collegiate Church of San Fernando (from the 16th century), the pilgrims' inn (a large house built in 1763) and other outbuildings used as a hostel and retreat house.

Path and landscape description

Many are the roads leading to Covadonga, and one of the most outstanding is the Ruta de las Peregrinaciones, which runs from Oviedo to the Royal Site and passes through Bendición, el Alto del Espinadal, Miera, Espinaréu, Villamayor and Cangas de Onís, and ends in Covadonga. This route also has a branch from Mieres del Camín that rejoins the road from Oviedo in a place known as La Grandota (the Big One).You can find more information here: https://www.turismoasturias.es/en/cultura/itinerarios-culturales/ruta-peregrinaciones

Other routes to Covadonga: https://www.turismoasturias.es/en/cultura/itinerarios-culturales/caminos-peregrinacion;jsessionid=F304AB8C30F64FDD965D06F632B45C33

Websites

https://www.spain.info/en/places-of-interest/covadonga-shrine/

https://www.pilgrim-info.com/sanctuary-lady-covadonga/

https://www.turismoasturias.es/en/covadonga

E-Mail

covadonga@iglesiadeasturias.org