The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Contrueces is a Catholic church located in the autonomous community of Asturias (Spain), in the southern part of the urban area of Gijón, within the neighborhood of Contrueces. It stands as a significant landmark in Gijón’s history, as the Virgin venerated in this temple was regarded by many residents of Gijón as the city’s patroness for numerous years.
The earliest documents attesting to the existence of this church date back to the early 10th century and are found in the Book of Testaments, which includes a document signed on August 28, 905, in Cortuloces—a suburb of Gijón—for the benefit of the church of Ourense. This document records the confirmation by King Alfonso III and his wife Jimena. Further references to this church appear in the Diploma of Ourense from the 10th century (or possibly the 11th), as well as in documents related to the Monastery of San Vicente, the writings of Sampiro, and other sources.
From the 12th to the 16th centuries, a period of obscurity ensues, with no surviving records. In 1636, the local residents highlighted the need to establish a fair in Contrueces, arguing that it would both encourage devotion to the Virgin and yield significant economic benefits by boosting transactions involving the buying and selling of horses, cattle, and mules. These activities took place around the sanctuary, capitalizing on the large influx of the faithful. The sanctuary’s distance from the city center led many devotees to visit the chapel of the Virgin of Begoña, which eventually became regarded as the patroness of the Fuente Vieja neighborhood in central Gijón, later renamed the “Begoña neighborhood.” Nevertheless, many Gijón residents continue to visit the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Contrueces on the Sunday following the feast of the Virgin of Begoña.
Opposite the sanctuary, approximately 50 meters away, stands a palace that has served variously as an asylum, seminary, and children’s school. During times when it stood vacant, it was frequented by the writer and politician of the Enlightenment era, Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, who found it an ideal setting for writing, meditating, and praying. Today, it functions as a primary school managed by the Claretians.
Continue reading on Wikipedia 
