An 18th-century building declared a Cultural Heritage Site
Internationally renowned for its connection to the Princess of Asturias Awards – it hosts the annual meeting, the jury's decision, and accommodates the award winners – the Eurostars Hotel de la Reconquista houses an important artistic heritage. It is no surprise that it was declared a Historical Monument of Cultural Interest in 1973. Its numerous tapestries, canvases, sculptures, and historically valuable furniture would delight any museum.
The building, which occupies the site of a former orphanage and children's residence, was built in 1752 at the initiative of Isidoro Gil de Jaz, Regent of the Court of the Principality of Asturias, and was designed by architect Pedro Antonio Menéndez de Ambás. In its original design, the complex includes a large central courtyard, flanked by two square courtyards and a chapel. This chapel, the work of Madrid architect Ventura Rodríguez, was completed in 1770 and stands out for its circular interior plan and octagonal exterior, all in the Doric order and crowned by an imposing 28-metre dome.
Throughout its history, the building was restored in 1942, and in the 1970s, architects Sainz de Vicuña and Fernández Cuevas took on the challenge of transforming it into a luxury hotel. Finally, the hotel was inaugurated on 4 June 1974. Since then, the Eurostars Hotel de La Reconquista has been managed by the Hotusa Group and has been part of the Eurostars Hotels chain since August 2014.
With a Baroque façade presided over by a large coat of arms of Spain, the 15,000-square-metre complex is a true architectural and cultural gem in Oviedo and an international icon of the city.