Santa Maria del Naranco: A Ramirense Architectural Marvel
Santa Maria del Naranco
Santa Maria del Naranco, built by King Ramiro I (842-850), who named the style “Ramirense,” was originally a palatial residence in the forest recreation area of Naranco, near Oviedo, the capital of the Kingdom of Asturias. The present church, formerly the Aula Regia (throne room), along with San Miguel de Lillo, is a remnant of the complex of buildings from this era. Its artistic value lies in the advanced approaches of its brilliant architect, while its historical value stems from being the only royal salon of its time preserved in Europe. Santa Maria anticipates architectural trends by two centuries: the barrel vault and buttress foreshadow the Romanesque structural system. It is also daring in its interior design, where architecture plays an aesthetic role, at a time when even painting was used to simulate pillars, and in its care for the harmony and elegance of the exterior.
Documentation
- Name: Santa Maria del Naranco
- Architect: Unknown
- Timeline: Built as a palace; consecrated as a church in 848
- Location: Oviedo
- Style: Ramirense (pre-Romanesque)
- Materials Used: Stone and tuff
- Dimensions: 20 m (length) x 6 m (width)
Exterior
The building, topped by a gabled roof, is organized on three floors, the third of which is fictitious, as it corresponds to the second floor internally, extending to a greater height. The longer walls, north and south, are characterized by their solid appearance and by the fluted buttresses that enhance their verticality and slenderness, while breaking the monotony of the wall, leading to a subtle interplay of light and shadow. The only access to the second floor (first floor) is on the north side: an external staircase with two flights that culminates in a porch. On the south side, remains of a balcony are visible. The shorter walls, east and west, are notable for the splendid bays of the viewpoints on the main floor. The fictitious third floor mullioned window is typical of Spanish architecture, repeating the arrangement of the arches of the veranda and giving the impression of height.
Plant and Interior
The plant forms a rectangle divided into a central chamber and two adjacent enclosures. Downstairs, the main hall was likely used by guards and servants, while the side rooms served as bathrooms and a chapel. On the ground floor, two side balconies flanked the central chamber, possibly used for venues and parties. The organization of architectural elements is a milestone in medieval domestic architecture. The main floor, with its intensely vertical proportions, is dominated by a large barrel vault, slightly banked, built in tuff-stone (lighter than stone) and reinforced by highlighted arches. The wall, which performs the function of support, is reinforced inside with a blind arcade of attached columns and outside by buttresses. Large windows opening into viewpoints are set into the walls. The living room on each side is separated by a kind of second interior front, with lintel spans. From the outside, the sight of both facades produces a beautiful effect of perspective. The interior architectural articulation allows its elements to satisfy both a structural and aesthetic function, anticipating future formulations of medieval architecture and sculpture, which will remain closely linked. Thus, arches protrude from the cover, and blind arches break the heaviness of the walls. The interior columns are structured in bundles of four, with a common base and capital, and show the characteristic sogueados shafts (strands).
Content
The small kingdom of Asturias, the last refuge of Christianity against the Muslim invasion, proclaimed itself heir and defender of the Visigoth tradition and placed all power in the hands of the monarch. The king urged an art set for the crown, funded and built it for his glory and of God. The decoration of Santa Maria itself reveals this aspect: in the bands that divide the facade horizontally, the emblem of the kingdom can be seen, which gives a sacredness to the palace and thus to the monarchy. In the year 848, Ramiro I himself turned the building into a church.