The Parador de Corias is known as "The Escorial of Asturias" for its magnificent architecture, making it one of the most monumental monasteries in Europe, and as such, it is full of secrets. One of the best-known are the archaeological remains found in the basement of the founding church from the 11th century. However, other secrets, hidden in plain sight, make this Parador a veritable treasure chamber, and the fact is that inside the monastery you can find one of the best collections of bargueños in the whole of Paradores.
But what is a bargueño? The name bargueño comes from a type of wooden cabinet traditionally made in the town of Bargas (Toledo), characterised by a multitude of small drawers inside the piece. The cabinets, moreover, usually have a board on the front, which serves both to cover these compartments and, once unfolded, as a desk. Finally, decoration is a key factor in these pieces, as they usually feature rich carving or inlay work, as well as colours ranging from sumptuous gilding to vivid tones.
At Paradores, we are fortunate to have a large collection of these cabinets; however, the bargueños at Corias stand out for their quality and preciousness. Each front displays a festival of architectural shapes, decorated with gilded metal plates and rich tortoiseshell inlays. In some, the decoration in the form of arches and columns even leaves room for a central niche in which a small bronze sculpture is visible.
But these marvellous pieces are not the only secret that the parador holds. The halls of the parador are the guardians of contemporary art, in line with Paradores' commitment to present and future heritage. In this sense, collections such as the works of Salvador Soria Zapater, in the Muniellos Room, or the work of Rui Macedo Gabinete de curiosidades, housed in the current Library Room, are of note.
No te pierdas el arte y la historia de este hermoso Parador.
