Historical Tradition

The history of the district and town of Tineo dates back thousands of years. The first inhabitants of this area in Western Asturias left their mark with funeral monuments dotted all over the area. Later on, there is evidence of the territory's control by the Romans, whose main objective was to prospect and mine for gold. In the 8th century, the Monastery of Obona was founded, a key landmark along the Original or Interior Camino de Santiago, and it was there where King Alfonso IX awarded Tineo its local charter. The privileges granted included the mandate by which, from that time on, all who travelled on pilgrimage to Santiago were to pass through the town of Tineo and Obona, which made the town much more important. Anther interesting feature is that it is the birthplace of a number of famous persons, such as the Count of Campomanes or General Riego, who led the revolt that gave rise to the Liberal Triennium in 1820.

ESSENTIAL HISTORIC TRADITION


OBONA MONASTERY

A major landmark on the inland Camino de Santiago. A Cistercian-style Monastery which, according to legends, was founded in the year 780 by Prince Adelgaster, son of King Silo.

BARCENA MONASTERY

The Monastery of San Miguel de Bárcena was founded in the year 937 and, at present, all that remains is the church, which features some interesting paintings discovered behind the altarpieces.

THE MARK OF GOLD IN NAVELGAS
The Romans built several mines in order to extract gold and, in order to do so, they moved millions of tons of rock and earth that were washed with the water from the streams and rivers, which were diverted for this purpose.

TUÑA

Tuña has large mansions, in a fine display of local architecture, one of them the birthplace of General Riego, one of the most significant personalities in Asturias' history.
Its Roman bridge bears witness to a Roman road that used to connect different points and which was used to transport the gold they extracted.

MERILLÉS DOLMEN

The Merillés dolmen stands in a site known as Las Cabanas. It consists of four megaliths, one of which is now missing, which form a rectangular funeral chamber.
It was used by shepherds and townsfolk as a refuge from bad weather. No remains of a trousseau or paintings have been found, but in spite of this and of the treatment it has undergone, it is one of Asturias' finest Megalithic monuments