Town hall and noble houses of Calle Real
Chapter 7/11 · Navia
We have reached the heart of the medieval town. On the way we passed along Calle de las Armas, where the Torre de las Armas stood, where weapons and war supplies were kept. Navia received its town charter from King Alfonso X the Wise in the second half of the 13th century, with dates ranging from 1270 to 1284 depending on the source. With it came permission to hold a market on Thursdays and to build a wall.
The town hall clock bears the date 1885, when the building began to be used as the town house, but its structure seems to date from the first half of the 18th century. Its most valuable feature is the baroque coat of arms of the Fuertes de Sierra family, with two rampant lions, above the balcony and below the clock tower; its quarters show the arms of Avello, Fuertes, Sierra de Llano and Navia. On 15 August, when the Virgin of La Barca returns from the estuary, the «danza prima», a traditional Asturian circle dance, is danced right here in front.
Around it are several noble houses. Attached to the town hall is the Casa del Limonar, from the 16th and 17th centuries, heir to the first family seat of the House of Navia, the lineage that later moved to the palace of Anleo; today it houses extra municipal offices. Nearby is the house of the Marchioness of Navia-Osorio, from the 17th century, with a coat of arms of related families such as the Montenegro and the Lantoira. Navia-Osorio was the surname of the third Marquis of Santa Cruz de Marcenado, born in Puerto de Vega in 1684, author of the «Reflexiones militares», who died in Oran in 1732.
In this same block, at number 5 Calle Real, is the house identified as Campoamor's birthplace, much altered. And a step away begins Calle Hospital, named after the pilgrims' hospital that operated at number 8 from the 14th century.
We continue a few metres along Calle Real to Calle Mariano Luiña, where a stretch of the wall survives.
Start · Navia