As you’re coming up, look for a quiet, rectangular plaza lined with buildings in rich, honey-colored stone, and a grand entrance with two thick columns and ornate carvings right ahead. That's the Bishop’s Palace, one of the square’s main stars. On the left, spot a smaller building flying the Asturian, Spanish, and Vatican flags. Welcome to La Corrada del Obispo!
Take a moment to imagine the centuries of footsteps on this stone. If you listen closely, you might hear echoing from history. This isn’t just any old plaza-it's Oviedo’s historic heart, right where the town’s stories come alive. Long ago, in the year 1521, most of Oviedo was swallowed by flames, including the original bishop’s palace. But like a hero in a story, it rose again in the 1500s, only to be wrecked once more in the 1930s and rebuilt carefully afterward. The only bit left of that old palace is the elaborate doorway you see, topped with four coats of arms-good luck spotting them all!
To your right stands the imposing wall of the famous Cathedral’s cloister. In the 1700s, people felt the cathedral needed a little extra flair, and added a whole new floor with a dramatic Baroque entrance facing right into this very square. You could say the cathedral was a bit competitive with the bishop’s palace-nothing like a good old-fashioned neighborly rivalry.
Picture this plaza packed with excited townsfolk in 1808. The air is tense as someone steps onto the balcony above the arched door to shout out big news: Asturias has declared war on France. Right here, history changed, and folks felt their hearts race at the sound.
And just think, under your feet once ran old alleyways, and the plaza was once smaller, boxed in by houses-one of which even saw the birth of a famous lawyer! Over the years, it grew into the broad space you’re standing in now, ringed by memories, legends, and maybe, just maybe, a ghostly bishop or two popping in to make sure their palace is still the grandest spot in Oviedo.
Ready to move on, or want to soak up a little more of that plaza magic?
