Historical Gems of Costa Verde

Costa Verde, located in northern Spain, is a region steeped in history that offers a unique perspective on the country's rich past for history enthusiasts. This lush and verdant coastal stretch, encompassing Asturias, Cantabria, and part of the Basque Country, is known for its captivating historical sites and cultural heritage.

Oviedo Cathedral

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The Cathedral of San Salvador of Oviedo today displays an array of architectural styles, from Pre-Romanesque to Baroque, including Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance parts. It began as a large Pre-Romanesque basilica in the present location of the Gothic cathedral, but nothing more is known about that first building, built by order of King Alfonso II of Asturias.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

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The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a museum of modern and contemporary art designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. The museum was inaugurated in 1997 by King Juan Carlos I of Spain, with an exhibition of 250 contemporary works of art. Built alongside the Nervion River, which runs through the city of Bilbao to the Cantabrian Sea, it is one of several museums belonging to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and features permanent and visiting exhibits of works by Spanish and international artists. It is one of the largest museums in Spain.

Roman Baths of Campo Valdes

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These thermae (Roman baths) of Gijón are considered one of the most important sites in northern Spain. Campo Valdés are a site museum on baths dating from the Early Empire. They are located in front of the Church of San Pedro under Campo Valdés Gardens, at sea level. The baths were discovered in 1903, remaining hidden from the public until 1965.

Located outside the Roman walls, the baths consisted of two distinct units: the household area and the area of the thermae.

Tower of Hercules

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The Tower of Hercules (Torre de Hércules) is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about 2.4 km from the centre of A Coruña. The structure is 55 metres (180 ft) tall and overlooks the North Atlantic coast of Spain. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. It is the second-tallest lighthouse in Spain.

Santillana del Mar Collegiate Church

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Santillana del Mar Collegiate Church has its origins in a monastery dating from 870. Tradition has it that it was home to the relics of Santa Juliana.

Santander Cathedral

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Santander Cathedral was built between the end of the 12th century and the 14th century on top of the former Santander Abbey.

Santa Ana Castle

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Santa Ana Castle was built in the 13th century but abandoned already in the 16th century. The five 15m high corner towers protect the main building where the lighthouse was erected in 1853.

San Vicente de la Barquera Castle

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The castle of San Vicente de la Barquera was a royal residence built by Alfonso I of Asturias in the 8th century. The current walls and structure date from the 13th century. The complex is 50 meters long and around 20 m wide. Today the restored castle is a museum and used for events.

Castro de Coaña

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Situated on the left bank of the Navia Estuary, Castro de Coaña is a hilltop settlement (4th Century BC) surrounded by walls and accessed from the south. The main defensive structure is located precisely in the south and consists of a wide ditch dug into the slaty subsoil finished off by a wall. Inside, the settlement is divided into several sectors.

Cave of Altamira

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The Cave of Altamira is located near the historic town of Santillana del Mar. It is renowned for prehistoric parietal cave art featuring charcoal drawings and polychrome paintings of contemporary local fauna and human hands. The earliest paintings were applied during the Upper Paleolithic, around 36,000 years ago.

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Historic Site of the week

Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.

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