San Andrés Church, Villaviciosa, Spain

San Andrés is a church in the parish of Bedriñana. It dates to the 9th century and was declared a national monument in 1931. The nave was built in the tenth century. Four of the original windows above the nave survive. Significant additional expansion occurred in the 12th-13th centuries and again in the 16th. In 1916, additional improvements were made to the building for use as a school.

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Religious sites in Spain

User Reviews

J M C (8 months ago)
Precious gem. Remodeled environment unfortunately in my opinion. Some explanatory poster of its history and art is missing. There is no information on how you can visit either.

José Julio Melgares (9 months ago)
The Church of San Andrés de Berdiñana is one of the temples of Asturian pre-Romanesque art. In it, the mullions stand out, elements in which the pre-Romanesque style is reflected, with double-rope arches.

Konstantin Rokossovski (10 months ago)
The original windows are magnificent. The beautiful place.

Paloma Sanchez (11 months ago)
That amazing window! Beautiful

Pisadiel (12 months ago)
Romanesque church of San Andrés de Bedriñana (XIII century), in Bedriñana (Villaviciosa, Asturies). We would have here a temple that would structurally abstain in origin from the Asturian pre-Romanesque (X century). Now it is very altered, conserving only decorative remains -a latticework and 4 spans-, from what appears to be the same workshop that San Salvador de Valdediós invoiced. Very reformed: three moments: pre-Romanesque, Romanesque and Baroque (17th century). Single ship. Rectangular head and side chapels from the 1672 reform, built by the Mones Hevia-Valdés lineage, as a pantheon. Romanesque toral arch on columns of the s. XIII. The sacristy and the belfry are from the s. XIX. Rehabilitated (2002-04).

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Kirkjubøargarður

Kirkjubøargarður ('Yard of Kirkjubøur', also known as King"s Farm) is one of the oldest still inhabited wooden houses of the world. The farm itself has always been the largest in the Faroe Islands. The old farmhouse dates back to the 11th century. It was the episcopal residence and seminary of the Diocese of the Faroe Islands, from about 1100. Sverre I of Norway (1151–1202), grew up here and went to the priest school. The legend says, that the wood for the block houses came as driftwood from Norway and was accurately bundled and numbered, just for being set up. Note, that there is no forest in the Faroes and wood is a very valuable material. Many such wood legends are thus to be found in Faroese history.

The oldest part is a so-called roykstova (reek parlour, or smoke room). Perhaps it was moved one day, because it does not fit to its foundation. Another ancient room is the loftstovan (loft room). It is supposed that Bishop Erlendur wrote the 'Sheep Letter' here in 1298. This is the earliest document of the Faroes we know today. It is the statute concerning sheep breeding on the Faroes. Today the room is the farm"s library. The stórastovan (large room) is from a much later date, being built in 1772.

Though the farmhouse is a museum, the 17th generation of the Patursson Family, which has occupied it since 1550, is still living here. Shortly after the Reformation in the Faroe Islands in 1538, all the real estate of the Catholic Church was seized by the King of Denmark. This was about half of the land in the Faroes, and since then called King"s Land (kongsjørð). The largest piece of King"s Land was the farm in Kirkjubøur due to the above-mentioned Episcopal residence. This land is today owned by the Faroese government, and the Paturssons are tenants from generation to generation. It is always the oldest son, who becomes King"s Farmer, and in contrast to the privately owned land, the King"s Land is never divided between the sons.

The farm holds sheep, cattle and some horses. It is possible to get a coffee here and buy fresh mutton and beef directly from the farmer. In the winter season there is also hare hunting for the locals. Groups can rent the roykstovan for festivities and will be served original Faroese cuisine.

Other famous buildings directly by the farmhouse are the Magnus Cathedral and the Saint Olav"s Church, which also date back to the mediaeval period. All three together represent the Faroe Island"s most interesting historical site.

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