To spot the House of Dean Payarinos, look ahead for a grand two-story mansion with elegant tall windows, striking wooden balconies to either side, and a charming neoclassical façade right on the open square.
Now, as you stand in front of this impressive building, imagine stepping back to the year 1900 - picture the streets bustling with people and the smell of fresh pastries floating through the morning air. The man behind this mansion was Benigno Rodríguez Pajares, a canon with a mission: he wanted a home fit for both admiration and a bit of envy from his neighbors. He called in one of Oviedo’s top architects, Juan Miguel de la Guardia, who didn’t just hold a ruler and a dream-he delivered an architectural treat. The building style mixes a dash of everything-neoclassical like ancient Rome, but with its own unique Asturian flavor. Those wooden balconies and the grand pediments over the windows? They were the social media profiles of their time-guaranteed to get attention.
But here’s where our story takes a twist! Fast forward to the 1980s, and the inside of this mansion is transformed-walls come down, new rooms are built, and musicians’ laughter and piano notes start echoing through the halls. Today, it’s the main entrance to the Eduardo Martínez Torner Conservatory, a place where new melodies fill the air and students sometimes wonder if the old house's spirit ever hums along with them! So, next time you hear music drifting out, just remember: this house loves a good tune as much as a juicy bit of gossip.
