⛰️ Covadonga Sanctuary
Spain
About This Sacred Site
The Sanctuary of Covadonga in the Picos de Europa mountains of Asturias is one of Spain's most symbolically important religious sites. It was here in 722 CE that the Visigothic nobleman Pelayo won the Battle of Covadonga, traditionally considered the beginning of the Reconquista — the centuries-long Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula. The Holy Cave (Santa Cueva) contains the image of the Virgin of Covadonga (La Santina), patron of Asturias. The neo-Romanesque basilica, completed in 1901, stands dramatically against the mountainous backdrop.
Key Facts
- •The Battle of Covadonga in 722 CE is considered the start of the Reconquista
- •The Holy Cave contains the tomb of King Pelayo and the Virgin of Covadonga
- •The neo-Romanesque basilica was built between 1877 and 1901
- •The Virgin of Covadonga (La Santina) is the patron saint of Asturias
- •Two glacial lakes, Enol and Ercina, near the sanctuary are part of a national park
Location
Coordinates: 43.3109, -5.0544
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