Raúl Ramos Solar (2 years ago)
Attention... We are facing the ruins of Armatia.
This old fortification is located at 431 meters above sea level, in Picu Castiellu, belonging to the parish of Santianes, in the council of Oviedo.
Built on the primitive ruins of a pre-Roman fort, ordered to be reformed by Alfonso III in the 9th century and demolished by Juan I of Castile in 1383, it played a leading role during the Asturian Middle Ages.
At present, only remains of the tower and part of the wall are preserved, and no type of archaeological intervention has been carried out to date in the subsoil.
It had great strategic importance as it was located at the entrance to the Nalón river valley, controlling the roads that went from Oviedo and Langreo to León.
A relationship with the Roman settlement of La Charisma is not ruled out.
It was declared a Historical Monument on May 22, 1965.
Your visit is essential when you are in the area! A recommendation: walking up from Olloniego is always more enriching and satisfying than approaching the vehicle.
Pedro de Mendoza (3 years ago)
A pity that an archaeological remains of that antiquity (minimum 11th century), which in another European country would be at least preserved, and in the best of cases musealized, is in such a state: eaten by the vegetation, the few remains ( According to internet sources, remains of the tower and part of the wall) are eaten up by the vegetation and can only be sensed.
Besides, there is no signposting to get there, and the road is very winding (you have to honk the horn in curves so as not to be surprised by a car that goes down), only one road (sometimes you meet another car and you have to do juggling for the other to pass by reversing and looking for a hole), very steep, and in a terrible state (sometimes there is no asphalt).
When you arrive, there is no access to the complex, since it is surrounded by private plots, and you only have to be content with walking around and seeing how little you can of the remains, and with the splendid views of the valley, since the complex is found at the top.
That an archaeological remains, which according to internet sources is B.I.C., is not yet excavated (it is assumed that there is also a pre-Roman fort), and is in the aforementioned conditions, is a real nonsense; It is everyone's heritage, and it would also attract visitors that would surely have an impact on the local economy.
H Astur (3 years ago)
Fortress built on an old fort. Despite being declared a historical monument, it is in a sorry state of preservation. It is a shame that a city council like Oviedo spends millions on the Calatrava, various fountains, statues of doubtful value and thus has its historical heritage. Then they want to be a world heritage site, Canteli the rural area also exists
Avelino Martínez González (3 years ago)
The natural environment is magnificent with splendid views of the Sierra del Aramo and in the distance Mount Naranco and the city of Oviedo, but if we complete the circle of the gaze we will find the enormous bites of the mountain from which the cement plant of Tudela Veguín.
Álvaro Matías Sarmiento (4 years ago)
Great views