The Orientation of Pre-Romanesque Churches in Spain: Asturias, a case of power re-affirmation

Pre-Romanesque churches in the Iberian Peninsula include a number of constructions from the 4th-5th to the 11th century when the

first Romanesque churches appear in the north of Spain. We report on preliminary results from an on going project to measure a comprehensive set of

churches along the whole Iberian Peninsula. The aim is to investigate the impact of the introduction of Christianity, the possible persistence of pre-

Christian customs in the orientation of churches and their use by the power elites to confirm their power.

Church orientations. Medieval astronomy. MedievalChurch. Asturian Kingdom.