Bedriñana: Pre-Romanesque Church and Ruta de Carlos V

One particularly striking destination in Bedriñana is San Andrés de Bedriñana. From its foundations to the cornice, the present nave follows the Pre-Romanesque style. As a National Monument, San Andrés illustrates the transition from Asturian Pre-Romanesque architecture to rural Romanesque; the church was declared a National Monument in 1931. Thus, the visible construction of the nave and its art-historical classification come together directly in this building.

Culture and history

In July and August, San Andrés de Bedriñana can be visited free of charge on Tuesdays and Fridays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The visit is therefore limited to a clearly defined period, while its classification as a National Monument describes the site's historical significance. Both details relate to different aspects of the same cultural attraction: the opening hours concern access, while the building's history shapes the experience on site.

Near the Palacio García-Mauriño stands a large dovecote with a circular floor plan and a conical roof. On the south side of the Palacio García-Mauriño, the upper floor contains a corridor between two lateral rooms with framed openings. The dovecote and the corridor thus display two different architectural features of the same named site. The Hórreo de La Pola in Bedriñana adds another independent rural structure to these details: a carved figure of a pregnant woman can be seen on the end piece of a liño.

El Llagarín II is also part of the local landscape: this fully rented country house in Bedriñana has two sleeping places and two rooms.

Nature and trails

The Ruta de Carlos V (PR-AS 302) is an easy, linear mountain route for hikers. It runs for 11 km between Tazones and Villaviciosa and passes through Bedriñana. The route name, the PR-AS 302 designation and the two places mentioned describe its course, while its length and linear character define the scope of the hike.

Along this route, nature, cultural heritage and historical memory come together. The route passes through wetlands, by waterfalls and to Pre-Romanesque churches and charming villages. As a result, different landscape and cultural features stand alongside one another on the same route: the wetlands and waterfalls mark natural sections, while the churches and villages provide further stops along the way.

Festivals and gatherings

The Fiesta de La Velilla includes an annual picnic in the countryside that brings together hundreds of people from throughout the municipality. On the main day of the Fiestas de La Velilla in Bedriñana, a procession with the Virgen de La Velilla took place. The picnic and the procession are two distinct elements of the same festival: one describes the communal outdoor gathering, while the other is the religious event on the main day.

Thus, the places and dates described provide Bedriñana with several distinct points of interest: San Andrés represents its Pre-Romanesque architectural history, the buildings at the Palacio García-Mauriño and the Hórreo represent individual architectural details, the Ruta de Carlos V forms a linear link between nature and cultural heritage, and La Velilla represents an annual day of festivities.

Other places

Other places: Miravalles, Selorio, Liñero, Collado, Argüero, Cazanes, Villaviciosa and Puelles.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Villaviciosa.