You’re now right in front of Oviedo’s City Hall, standing at the heart of Oviedo in Constitution Square, where the city’s big decisions are made and-let’s be honest-the paperwork never sleeps! Take a moment and imagine: it's the early 1600s, the air is heavy with whispers of plagues, pilgrims, and potato stew recipes nobody wants to share. In 1622, a creative fellow named Juan de Nava drew the plans for this building, and almost 50 years later, in 1671, the city finally had its home for politics, debates... and probably the occasional heated argument about whose turn it was to sweep outside.
Back in the day, city life pulsed around here. And surviving a war wasn’t just for movies-this poor building took quite a hit during the Civil War! By 1940, they’d spruced up the outside and added a clock tower. If only the council meetings ran as precisely as that clock!
Today, inside those historic walls, are 27 councilors, representing four political parties, each one convinced they can run the city better than the rest. The star of the show? Mayor Alfredo Canteli, and yes, he’s still got his seat-lucky guy. His team is made up of government councilors and a few delegated officers, each with their own corner of city duties...and their own keys to the break room, I bet.
Right now-if the wind’s just right-you might catch snatches of city discussions, or maybe the hum of office life inside. But from the outside, it just looks like a classic piece of Oviedo, standing strong, keeping the secrets of centuries of city drama. If only those stones could talk! Or maybe it’s better they can’t-Oviedo’s city gossip would never end...
Ready to keep moving? The next stop awaits!
