MONUMENTS AND THEIR LEGENDS

“DANS LE CERCLE DES DOUZE ÉTOILES”

BY STUDENTS OF 3RD

DIRECTY BY CARMEN VILANOVA (ENGLISH TEACHER)

Oviedo, 2009

MONUMENTS AND THEIR LEGENDS

MONUMENTS AND THEIR LEGENDS

THE BALESQUIDA CHAPEL

In medieval times, craftmen were divided in guilds. This chapel was built by Velasquita Jiraldez, a widow of a rich taylor. She was very good to poor people and gave a lot of her goods to them, built a hospital for pilgrims and poor people, and also a chapel to the virgin of hope, which is the saint of tailors. To remember her, we still have a celebration in Oviedo, on Pentecostes Tuesday every year. The feast is half religious, with a mass in the chapel where the tomb of Dña. Velasquita is; and half profan, with wine, cider and chorizo bun in the park, Asturian bagpipe, children´s games , dance and traditional songs.

VICTORY CROSS

It´ is said that the wooden structure of this jewel that is kept in the saint chamber of Oviedo´s cathedral, was the one that Pelayo, first Asturian king.(737 a.D), held in the battle of Covadonga against the Muslims. According to the Christian tradition, the Saint Virgin helped him to win the battle.

THE ANGELS CROSS

This cross, which is the symbol of the city of Oviedo, was given

to the cathedral by the Asturian King Alfonso II in 808 (a.D).

According to a XI Century legend, the cross was made by angels, disguised as pilgrims. When the king went to the pilgrims workshop to check about their delay with the job, he could see some golden beams shining through the door. When he opened it, he found the cross there and the pilgrims´ clothes on the floor, so he thought that the angels had done the difficult job for him.

MONSACRO CHAPELS

They are from medieval times. The legend says that during the Muslims invation the relics of saints, that are now in Oviedo´s cathedral, were kept in these chapels in order to preserve them from the Muslims. They are in the mount Aramo near Oviedo.

                                     

                                     

MONUMENTS AND THEIR LEGENDS

MONOLITE TO THE OVIEDO´S RESISTENCE

This monument is a symbol for supporters of Franco. It was built after the civil Spanish war, to remember those who fought against the republican army and died for it.

It is in the Gesta square, on the wall of San Francisco square in Oviedo city center

AIDA LA FUENTE MONUMENT

Aida was a 16 year old Asturian girl, who was killed in Oviedo in 1934, during the October Revolution against the republican government in power. She supported the comunist party, which was the one to start this revolt.

Since then, she has become a heroine of the comunist party and this is the monument decicated to her memory. It was set up in San Pedro de los Arcos park in Oviedo.

MONUMENTS AND THEIR EGENDS

FONTAN FOUNTAIN

This fountain is a medieval building. It is in the city centre, in the market place of Oviedo. The legend says that in the 19th Century, foreigners who were too posh, were taken there so that they had to stoop to drink water, since it is underground. This was a way of humilating them.

WOODY ALLEN STATUE

It is a hommage that Oviedo´s lord major gave to the famous

director to thank him for the beautiful words that he dedicated to the city of Oviedo when he came to our city in 2002 to receive the Prince of Asturias Prize of Arts.

These words are printed in the statue:

“Oviedo is a beautiful, exotic and pedestrian city. It is like a dream, like a fairy tale”.