Covadonga

Covadonga (kōˈväħōnˈgä) [key], village, Oviedo prov., N Spain, in Asturias. A battle fought nearby sometime between 718 and 725 was the first victory of the Christians over the Moors; it had great symbolic significance in the Christian reconquest of Spain. The village attracts many tourists. Legend says that a cave near Covadonga was the refuge of King Pelayo. The cave's chapel dates from the 8th cent.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.