Information about Salas
Gateway to the West and Jacobean Route, Salas is one of the best preserved medieval villages in Asturias and sweetens visitors with the famous ‘Carajitos del Profesor’. It stands out for its medieval fortresses, its palatial houses and its Indian architecture that impresses the pilgrims who come to the town on the Primitive Way.
A place where you can still breathe the air of that time that gave birth to characters such as Fernando de Valdés de Salas, inquisitor and founder of the University of Oviedo.
What to see and do in Salas
Valdés Salas Palace
A semicircular arch with the heraldic coats of arms of the Valdés Salas family connects the Torre de la Villa with the palace. It was built at the end of the 16th century using the masonry technique. It is a sturdy, sober palace, in keeping with the civil architecture of the time. The main façade consists of two floors guarded by two towers. Through the main door is the central courtyard and the Chapel of Nuestra Señora de la Calle. Fernando de Valdés Salas, Major Inquisitor of Spain, founder of the University of Oviedo and Archbishop of Seville, lived here. Nowadays the Palacio Valdés de Salas is a hotel.
Medieval tower
Also known as Torre de la Villa, it is the oldest preserved building. It was built in the 14th century but the tower we see today is the work of Luis Menéndez Pidal, who rebuilt it in the middle of the 20th century. It is connected to the Palace of Valdés Salas by an arched bridge with the coats of arms of the Valdés Salas family. It is made of carved stone and has a square floor plan. It consists of a basement where the dungeons were, three floors with barrel vault, connected by a narrow spiral staircase and the roof, surrounded by battlements. It has only three windows and flared arrow slits that fulfill its defensive mission.
Pre-Romanesque Museum of San Martín de Salas
It is located in the chapel of the Palacio de Valdés. Some pieces from the church of the same name are exhibited here. Open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10.30am to 2.30pm and from 4pm to 7pm. Admission is free and includes a guided tour.
Collegiate Church of Salas Santa María la Mayor
Parish church founded by the Valdés Salas family in the 16th century, in Gothic-Renaissance style. Originally it was a single nave to which side chapels were added. The apse and two 17th century Baroque altarpieces stand out , although the main feature is the mausoleum of Fernado Valdés Salas. It is made of white alabaster and represents an allegory of life.
House of Maria Veigas and Palace of the Countess of Casares
Casa María Veigas is one of the oldest houses in Salas. It worked as a stagecoach inn in the 17th century. The wooden balcony with the glazed gallery and its heraldic coat of arms stand out. Nearby you can see the Palace of the Countess of Casares, also called Casa del Regente. It is a 17th century square building with a large central courtyard that marks the organization of the space. The corridor on 12 stone columns with smooth shafts stands out. The palace has its own chapel and wine press.
San Martín de Salas Church
The church of San Martín de Salas is undoubtedly a must-see. It is located on a hill, just one kilometre from the village. Despite the numerous reforms, it still retains the charm of antiquity. Dating back to the 10th century, it preserves part of its pre-Romanesque elements, although what is exhibited on its walls are faithful replicas, as the originals are shown and explained in the Tower of the Castle of Valdés-Salas.
When you arrive at San Martín de Salas, just after crossing the entrance gate to the church and cemetery, you can take shelter under a yew tree, a sacred tree for the Celts with miraculous properties. A walk through the enclosure transmits a great sense of peace, and an encounter with the oldest and most characteristic art of the Asturian monarchy: the pre-Romanesque.
