Torre del Reloj

The Torre del Reloj, the Clock Tower, is a landmark of the old town of Oviedo, on the Plaza de la Constitución, the square that is the civic centre of the city and a few steps from the cathedral. The square is a compact, pedestrian space surrounded by historic buildings, and the town hall, the Ayuntamiento, dominates one side with a long Baroque front and a tower with a clock that gives the square its focal point. The structure dates from the seventeenth century, when the old town hall was built, and its tower is one of the symbols of Oviedo, visible from many of the streets that lead into the plaza. Parts of the building have been altered over the centuries.

The plaza itself has a lively character. Terraces of cafes and restaurants fill the space in good weather, and the church of San Isidoro, a seventeenth-century Jesuit church with a Baroque façade, stands next to the town hall on the same square. Shoppers, office workers and visitors cross it throughout the day, and in the evening, people gather for drinks and food. Next to it, the streets of the old town lead toward the cathedral square, the market of El Fontán, a historic covered square with arcades and fruit and vegetable stalls, and the lanes lined with sidrerías, the cider houses that are the pride of Asturian hospitality.

The tower is best enjoyed from outside, since the interior is not generally open to visitors. Its value is as a point of orientation and as part of the ensemble. As you sit in the square, you can hear the clock mark the hours, and it is a good place to watch the rhythm of the town. The combination of the tower, the town hall and the church shows the layer of Baroque Oviedo, which grew over the medieval and early medieval city with its royal past.

The tower lies in the middle of the main sights of the city. The Catedral de San Salvador and its treasure, the Cámara Santa, are a very short walk away, and the Jardín de Pelayo and the Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias are within reach. The Parque de San Francisco, a large park, lies at the edge of the old town, and the pre-Romanesque churches of San Julián de los Prados and those on Mount Naranco can be reached by a walk or a short bus ride. The Museo de la Industria de Asturias lies some distance outside the city.

The square is free and open at all hours, and suits everyone. A stroll takes only a few minutes, and a drink on a terrace gives time to take it in. Morning and early evening are the most pleasant times.