San Salvador de Valdediós

San Salvador de Valdediós’ is a pre-Romanesque church that was built towards the end of the 9th century. Next to the church is the Cistercian monastery of Valdediós with its 13th century church of St Mary.

Its construction is attributed to King Alfonso III. The consecration in the presence of seven bishops took place during his reign. The date of this event was engraved on a marble plaque, which states that it took place ‘SUB ERA DCCCCXXX’ - that is, in the year 930 of the Augustan era, which corresponds to 892 AD.

San Salvador de Valdediós was probably part of a palace complex built by King Alfonso III (848-910), to which he retreated after being deposed by his sons.

The church is a three-nave basilica with a barrel vault and three rectangular apses. The exterior is divided by buttresses, which reflect the internal division into nave and aisles on the west façade. The nave has three entrances, two in the south aisle and one in the west. A twin window with small horseshoe arches opens above a round arch portal at the level of the gallery. Above it is a victory cross with the Greek letters alpha and omega hanging from its arms, the emblem of the Asturian King Alfonso III.