San Julián de los Prados
San Julián de los Prados, popularly known as Santullano, is one of the most important monuments of Asturian Pre-Romanesque architecture. It was built during the reign of Alfonso II the Chaste (791–842) and preserves an extraordinary collection of 9th-century wall paintings.
San Julián de los Prados (Santullano) · Oviedo
The great church of Alfonso II
San Julián de los Prados, popularly known as Santullano, was built during the reign of Alfonso II the Chaste (791–842), in an area that at the time lay outside the urban centre of Oviedo. It is one of the most important buildings from this period and the largest surviving church of Asturian Pre-Romanesque architecture.
The church, dedicated to Saints Julian and Basilissa, formed part of the extensive architectural programme developed as Oviedo became established as the seat of the court of the Kingdom of Asturias.
Architecture of Santullano
The church has a basilican plan with three naves, the central nave being wider and higher than the side aisles. A large transept precedes the east end, which consists of three rectangular chapels. The chapels are covered by barrel vaults, while much of the rest of the building retains timber roofs.
The spacious transept, the clear differentiation of the exterior volumes and the brightness of the interior give the building an exceptional monumentality within early medieval architecture.
The wall paintings of Santullano
The interior preserves one of the most important collections of early medieval wall painting in Europe. The decoration is arranged in different levels and features geometric and plant motifs and, above all, architectural representations of idealised palaces and buildings.
One of its most striking features is the absence of human or divine figures. The cross stands out among the symbolic motifs, while the overall composition reveals influences from pictorial traditions rooted in the classical world.
The paintings are essential for understanding what the interiors of churches commissioned by the Asturian monarchy may have looked like and are one of Santullano’s main attractions.
San Julián de los Prados, World Heritage Site
San Julián de los Prados forms part of the “Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of Asturias” inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Santullano was added to the group in the 1998 extension, together with the Holy Chamber of Oviedo Cathedral and La Foncalada.
Location and visit
Address: Calle Selgas, 2 · 33001 Oviedo.
Location: it is situated in the Santullano neighbourhood, northeast of Oviedo’s historic centre.
Visits: opening times, admission fees and access arrangements may vary depending on the season. It is advisable to check up-to-date information before visiting.