Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Llueves
On the slope of the Sella River valley, very close to Cangas de Onís, lies the village of Llueves. This small village was the setting for the legendary death of King Favila. It is home to the Chapel of Saint Turibius, some houses of traditional Asturian architecture, and splendid granaries (hórreos and paneras).
Favila was the king and a descendant of the legendary Don Pelayo, who defeated the Muslims in the Battle of Covadonga, triggering the start of the Christian conquest in Spain, and is said to have been the first king of the Kingdom of Asturias. After his death in the year 737, his son Favila (or Fáfila) inherited the throne.
Favila is known for his short reign and tragic death at the hands of a wild bear. According to the chronicles of Alfonso III, Favila died two years after ascending the throne when, after climbing a mountain and heading into a valley, he encountered a large bear. The legend tells us that Favila drew his sword and thrust it into the bear. This was not enough to kill the bear, and he ended up being devoured. This event gave rise to the famous saying "Espabila Favila, que llega el oso" (Watch out, Favila, the bear is coming). This king’s legacy was the Church of the Holy Cross, the first church to be consecrated in the Kingdom of Asturias. It was built in Cangas de Onís and destroyed during the Civil War.
The bear also met a tragic end, as it was hunted down by the villagers. It fell into a cave, and the village sealed the cave so that it could not escape and it died of hunger. Many years later, in 1880, it is said that the partially fossilised remains of the regicidal bear were found.
The place where Favila was found dead was commemorated with a wooden cross, which was replaced in 1857 by a cross engraved on a rock with an inscription that says "UN O SO MA TO AL REIF. AÑO 739" (A bear killed kingF (sic). Year 739). This was ordered by the Dukes of Montpensier, Antonio Mª Felipe de Orleans, and Luisa Fernanda de Borbón (sister of Queen Isabel II) during a visit to Covadonga. It can be found hidden in a corner behind some houses near the Chapel of Saint Turibius and next to a limestone outcrop.
The Chapel of Saint Turibius is a rectangular church topped with a four-sided roof and a bell gable featuring a single opening, a bell, and surmounted by a Latin cross on its south side. This single-story stone chapel, typical of many popular constructions, includes a porch for shelter. A semicircular arch separates the altar at the end of the chapel from the rest of the interior.
Every 16th April Llueves celebrates the "Prau" festivities in honour of Saint Turibius of Astorga. Since this is a movable feast day, if visitors want to enjoy the high mass, the procession, the auctioning off of the bouquet, the pilgrimage, and the lively festivities, they should enquire about the dates beforehand.