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Middle Ages and Modern



Its history begins to be documented around the 10th century, and it tells us about a town located at the bottom of the estuary and protected by the Gauzón castle built by Alfonso III the Great to defend the port, and of pirate raids. The remains of the castle can still be seen on the Peñón de Raíces at the entrance to the town of Salinas. In this castle, it is where the Pelayo cross is covered with gold and stones for donation to the Ovetense Church.



Its location marked its destiny both for being the port of Oviedo, less than a day's walk away, and for its estuary that divides the city in two, both geographically and economically, fishing in Sabugo and trade and crafts in the walled town. .



In 1085, Alfonso VI granted a jurisdiction to Avilés, where a population already existed since Roman times. The jurisdiction of Avilés gives it the category of Villa de Realego and throughout the Middle Ages it will always support the crown, to whom it pays taxes. Avilés was never a fiefdom nor did it have any other competent court than the royal ones. The original jurisdiction is conserved in the Municipal Archive along with a romanticized copy, a historical, linguistic and legal jewel for which the town acquires the category of royalty, without stately submission and with economic and civil privileges, keeping an unbreakable fidelity to the crown. At this time, Avilés demonstrated its strategic economic value, with the monopoly of salt, having its storage and distribution. We must also highlight its maritime trade, which ranged from the Cantabrian cabotage to trade with Northern Europe, Portugal, France and the Peninsula. The privilege is repeatedly confirmed by the kings, in addition to being increased and commanded to respect when the stately or community interests tried to prevail. The first document was lost on an uncertain date and the one preserved is a copy of 1289, according to confirmation made by King Alfonso VII the Emperor in 1155. The strong walls of the town and its law offered freedom and security against the power of the lords and of the church. Commercial freedom was granted from "the sea to León", being later extended by Fernando IV to all the kingdoms of León and Castilla, with the exception of Murcia, Toledo and Seville.



The charter has a great linguistic interest, harmonizing romances as different as Asturian and Provençal, fruit of the close relationship with the ports of France. Unlike the fueros of Estella or Jaca, which are essentially in Provençal romance, the jurisdiction of Avilés shows a certain integration of the foreign population in the city. Between the 12th and 16th centuries, Avilés experienced a moment of commercial splendor through port traffic; Many merchandise destined for the Oviedo market were deposited in the cays, which gave rise to disputes between both populations over the distribution of fees and tributes. In Avilés there was the salt storehouse of Asturias and León, distributing the production of Galician, Portuguese, French and even Andalusian salt flats. In 1309 Fernando IV granted the Alfoz de Avilés the councils of Gozón, Illas, Carreño, Castrillón and Corvera. The wall that surrounded the town was the most important determining factor in the urban distribution. Of the strong walls, demolished in 1818, only visible remains remain incorporated into the Camposagrado palace. The palace of Valdecarzana or house of Pedro el Cruel or de la Baragaña is preserved from this period, which was the lodging and market of some medieval bourgeois. In 1479 there was a great fire in the town; The Catholic Monarchs grant several grants to the town to help its recovery, such as the granting of the weekly market on Mondays that continues to be held. At that time, extensive forest patches in the surroundings, which would be used for the construction of ships for the ships of the Invincible Navy, galleons and galleys for the service of the Habsburgs. Many Avillan sailors are involved in notable arms deeds. It is often said that Rui Pérez (although recent research indicates that the correct name is Rui González) captained one of the ships of Ramón de Bonifaz's squadron that with his saw on the prow cut the Triana plank bridge that allowed the Christians to conquer Seville, a fact that is remembered in the town's coat of arms. Another famous sailor is Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, Florida's first advance, for this reason the city is also known as La Villa del Adelantado de la Florida or, simply, Villa del Adelantado.



With the Modern Age the port of Avilés so important, began to fall into a commercial crisis, but other sectors took over, as it was especially the agricultural sector that had great improvements in traditional crops and also highlight the entry of corn. At that time of frequent confrontations with English and French, the castle of San Juan de Nieva was attacked repeatedly by privateers of these nationalities. Characters such as Bances Candamo and Carreño Miranda stand out in the cultural scene of the time.

Contemporary age



In May 1809 Marcognet's Napoleonic brigade advanced on Avilés, trying to stop the poorly armed neighbors, being defeated at Valliniello. There was a charge over the San Sebastián bridge in which two hundred men died. The French occupied the palace of Camposagrado, organizing the resistance through traps in the streets against isolated soldiers or in small numbers. So effective was this strategy that General Kellerman issued an order to the local authorities holding them responsible for the lives of his soldiers. In the Carlist wars some parties passed through the town, such as General Sanz. In the 19th century, the San Juan de Nieva basin was built, new industries such as the Arnao foundry and looms were built, the telegraph and railroad were brought in, and the estuary was drained in the area where the Muelle park is currently located, joining the sailor nucleus of Sabugo and the Villa. Industrialization began in the nineteenth century with the settlement, among others, of the Royal Asturian Company of Mines in the neighboring municipality of Castrillón, whose products are marketed by the port of Avilés, which, despite its name, also occupies land in Castile. In 1891 the electric lighting was installed, being the then bourgeois town one of the first places in Spain to have this service. In 1893 Doctor Claudio Luanco created the Bollo festival, which continues to be celebrated with great popular roots. The 20th century marks the industrial takeoff of Avilés, with successive extensions of the port. Events such as the 1934 Revolution and the Civil War left their trail of death in Avilés.



Avilés is a council of the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias (Spain) on the margins of the Avilés estuary. In addition, it is a parish of said council, and a city of said parish, capital of the council. Likewise, it is one of the 18 judicial districts of Asturias, the municipality of Avilés being the head of said judicial district.



The city of Avilés is 25 km from Gijón and 27 km from Oviedo.



The council of Avilés has a population of 84,242 inhabitants (INE, 2009).

Economy



The Avilesian economy has been strongly linked to the industrial sector since the 19th century. A large steelworks (ENSIDESA), currently part of Arcelor-Mittal Steel, and numerous industrial companies, aided by the orography of the Avilesina estuary, were installed in the municipality.



The City Council of Avilés has a public debt of € 27,005,000 million. Part of the money obtained from the canon for the change of management of the water service, 19.7 million euros will be used to amortize part of the municipal debt.

Geography



Avilés is a council of 25.34 square kilometers of surface that represents 0.239% of the Principality, located in the center of the Asturian coast and 26 km from Oviedo. It is limited by the Cantabrian Sea and by the councils of Gozón to the east, Corvera to the south and Castrillón and Illas to the west. The population centers with more inhabitants in the council of Avilés are, in this order: Avilés capital, Miranda, Heros, Caliero, Tabiella and Sablera.



Its entire surface is divided between the coastal plain and the mountains that close it to the south, although it is the Avilés estuary that is embedded in the rasa, which continues into Cabo Peñas and marks the morphology of the territory. The estuary occupies 3% of the entire surface, reaching after three miles of piers to the center of the city, which is on its western shore, which has allowed the historical settlement of the population, since this basin is low and flat in front of the heights of Carbayedos, Tuñes or El Estrellín on the opposite side.



To speak of Avilés city and Avilés council is synonymous, with a population of 84,242 inhabitants. It is the second most commercially important port and the first fishing port in the region, its central position gives it the privileged position of being in the communications hub, including the Asturias airport 14 kilometers away, although already located in the neighboring municipality of Castrillón .



Its capital with the same name as the council (Avilés), is located on the shore of the estuary, it was a land of sailors and commerce and the first port of Asturias.



Its rapid industrialization brought a massive emigration and with such great growth in all aspects. Avilés is one of the three most important cities in Asturias and the third in terms of population.

Art



His art ranges from Romanesque to modernism, leaving the most varied schools its mark, both in religious and civil styles.



The town has declared an area of ​​Monumental Artistic interest, the old center for the set of buildings, palaces, streets, portico and churches. Among them we can highlight:



The current church of San Nicolás de Bari, built in the 12th and 13th centuries. Its main Romanesque portal stands out, in which there are some identifiable primitive capitals. This temple underwent profound modifications that have distorted the primitive work, in 1499 a chapel attached to the north wall of the nave was built by Pedro Solís, it is a Gothic work influenced by the Cathedral of Oviedo.



The Chapel of the Wings, an independent funerary building from the 14th century, from the transition period from Romanesque to Gothic. Its most characteristic element is the vault with a covered structure.



The old church of Sabugo, begun in the thirteenth century, took a long time to complete, it is a Romanesque church, with two façades, one to the south belonging to the late Romanesque and the other main one from the defined protogothic. In 1740 the wooden roof was replaced by the current vault



Within its civil style we can highlight several houses and palaces.



Baragañas House. It is the only testimony of medieval civil architecture, its façade is the classic one of a commercial establishment open towards the street with large pointed arches.



The current 17th-century City Hall building, which follows the post-Herrerian pattern in its construction, is located in a triangle formed by the City Hall, the house of García Pumarino and the palace of the Marquis of Ferrera.



The Ferrera Palace, built in the 12th and 13th centuries, a building of great sobriety in which the irregular plan of the tower stands out, which is square, its main facade also stands out, with lintelled balconies and the coat of arms of the Marquis .



The Palacio de García Pumarino, a 17th century building that maintains a façade harmony with the City Hall, was built by the Indiano from Avilesino Rodrigo García Pumarino. The arcade incorporates seven arches facing the street and a window on each of them, the sides host a balcony on the upper floor. Today it houses the cinemas ´´Marta´´, formerly ´´Marta and Maria´´, in honor of the two sisters from the Palacio Valdes novel who supposedly lived in that Palace.



Other notable buildings to highlight are: the church of Santo Tomas de Cantorbery in Sabugo, in the neo-Gothic style designed by Luis Bellido, the Palacio Valdés theater, the neo-baroque building by Manuel del Busto, the School of Arts and Crafts and the Gran Hotel, both works. by Armando Fernández cueto, or the Hospital de Caridad by Manuel del Busto and Tomás Acha



We also have to highlight the emigrant colony of Villalegre, the work of Arturo Fernández Cueto, in this colony of Cubans, sumptuous residences were scattered, as a result of their overseas triumph, this entire colony appears hidden throughout the urban development of the sixties.



It is also worth highlighting the building of La Curtidora made under the industrial architectural style, it is a neo-Romanesque style building that combines materials and ornaments, giving an aesthetic not at odds with an industrial activity, since its facade was the best advertisement for the factory.

Its old town was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1955, in the town there are very interesting works of both a religious and civil character, Streets such as Galiana, Rivero, La Ferrería and San Francisco testify its history with magnificent buildings and arcades.



Among its religious architectural works we will highlight: the parish of San Nicolás, that of Santa María Magdalena de Corros, the old church of Sabugo or that of Santo Tomas de Cantorbery.







Parties





Without a doubt, Avilés is the festive Asturian city par excellence. This fact is not unrelated to two factors: one, having had one of the youngest populations in Europe in the eighties and two, the joyful and festive character of the Avillan people who have been able to empower and revive on a national scale, its antroxu (carnival). Among its parties we will highlight:



January: the Cavalcade of the Magi.



February: Carnival or Antroxu de Avilés, this festival is declared of Regional Tourist Interest, among its acts the one celebrated on Saturday stands out: The International and Fluvial Descent of Galiana Street, where the neighbors water the participants and the boats that They compete down sliding down the Galiana slope through a sea of ​​foam, on Tuesday the Carnival Parade takes place.



March-April: Holy Week is celebrated, from Tuesday to Saturday, seven brotherhoods take their processional steps, having special relevance, the processions of the Santo Encuentro, that of the Santo Entierro and that of La Soledad. Sunday and Easter Monday are the festivities of "El Bollo", declared of National and International Tourist Interest, celebrating its centenary with a meal in La Calle, which is filled with tables and tablecloths throughout the historic center for you to eat some ten thousand avilesinos in each edition, touching the Guinness in 2001 with about eleven thousand people. At this meal, the famous Bollo Mantecado is tasted, which is a peculiar Avilesina specialty.



May-June: the Tuesday following the seventh Sunday after Easter, is the Puchero festival in Villalegre, where a wedding couple dressed in a traditional Asturian way, break a jug and kiss as many times as there are pieces, it is an offering to the fertility that is two hundred years old.



June: at midnight on the 24th is the Prima de San Juan Dance, thousands of avilesinos gather around a large bonfire in the Plaza de Pedro Menéndez. Around the 29 is the festival of San Pedro. At midnight the Danza Prima de San Pedro is danced, which begins in the Plaza de España and ends in the chapel of San Pedro



July: around 16 Fiestas del Carmen, at midnight the Danza Prima del Carmen is danced, it begins with the song of the Salve Marinera in Galiana street and goes down to Plaza de España. On the 22nd, Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de la Magdalena in the neighborhood of the same name. On the 26th at midnight, the Danza Prima de Santa Ana is danced in the Plaza de la Merced. In the second half of July, the Avilés Interceltic Festival is celebrated, which each year becomes more important internationally, with the participation of groups from all Celtic nations (Galicia, Asturias, Wales, Scotland, Britain, Ireland ...) .



August: there are endless parties in different neighborhoods such as Llaranes, Miranda (the traditional Arrozada is celebrated every year every year, prepared by the Xagós, a word that means Friends in the Bron dialect, spoken by the boilermakers) Carbayedo. In this month are the Fiestas de San Agustín (August 28) when the entire city bustles with activity, to celebrate its patron. During the week of August 21-27, the Beer Festival is established, where you can enjoy practically any type of this drink and accompany it with a succulent sandwich.



September: on the 8th in the Versalles neighborhood, the Virgen de Covadonga celebrates her festivities, who is also the patron saint of Asturias.

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