In the Cimavilla district stands the Jove-Lavandera manor house, one of Gijón’s oldest distinguished buildings. Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos was born here and also spent a long time there. The house therefore offers a tangible connection to a figure in the city’s history.
Roman Baths and Their Building Phases
The coastal Museo de las Termas Romanas de Campo Valdés is located at the excavation site in the heart of ancient Gijón. It presents a Roman bath complex built in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD, with several building phases. To understand the site, it is therefore worth considering both its early origins and its architectural development.
A walkway in the museum recreates the original Pompeian route and offers views of the baths’ original rooms. The reconstructed path and the preserved rooms provide two different points of reference for a visit: the route through the complex and its original structure. Anyone interested in Roman architecture can consider both aspects together.
Jovellanos: House and Collection
The Jove-Lavandera manor house connects the history of a building with Jovellanos’ biography. The fact that he was born there and spent a long time there makes the site more than just a name in the city’s history. The Museo Casa Natal de Jovellanos adds a collection-focused perspective: alongside Jovellanos’ furniture and personal belongings, it displays several paintings from his art collection.
This makes it possible to distinguish between two different ways of exploring Jovellanos: his biographical connection to the manor house in the Cimavilla district, and the personal belongings and paintings in the museum. This is especially interesting if you are interested not only in the dates of his life but also in the objects and works of art associated with him.
Cerro de Santa Catalina: Views and Recreation
Cerro de Santa Catalina is a hill with a natural viewpoint and also a public park. The park includes areas for children’s recreation and places to relax. This means the hilltop views and opportunities to spend time in the park are available in the same place; you can therefore consider Cerro de Santa Catalina from both a scenic and cultural perspective.
A specific date in the site’s art history is 9 June 1990, when Eduardo Chillida’s work “Elogio del Horizonte” was inaugurated on Cerro de Santa Catalina, at the edge of the Cimavilla peninsula. This date adds a historical perspective on public art to the scenic views.
Casa Paquet and the Air-Raid Shelter
The main interior rooms of Casa Paquet retain their stained-glass windows, doors, stucco and decorative mouldings, wall coverings, and flooring. These details range from windows and doors to wall and floor surfaces, giving a tangible impression of the rooms’ furnishings.
Since 2020, Casa Paquet has housed Gijón/Xixón’s tourist information office, Infogijón. The entrance to the Cimavilla air-raid shelter is beside its ground floor on Calle de Claudio Alvargonzález. If you are planning to visit the shelter, check the current access arrangements in advance.
The shelter’s history goes back to 1936 and 1937, when attempts were made to prepare various air-raid shelters. Of these, the one in Cimavilla was the most elaborate and the largest; it could accommodate 1,200 people.
Tourist Information
The tourist brochure about Cimavilla can be viewed online or requested from Infogijón. Check in advance whether your preferred option is currently available. If you are gathering information for a visit, the brochure provides an overview of Cimavilla; the information about Casa Paquet and Infogijón can help you find your way around in person. Also check Infogijón’s current service conditions before planning your enquiry.
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