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The origin of Spain, monuments of Oviedo and the kingdom of Asturias.

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This is San Miguel de Lillo.

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The church was built in the 9th century.

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The Asturias region of northwestern Spain has six monumental buildings,

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including this church, which are inscribed as World Heritage.

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This old church played an important role in the history of Spain

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and is greatly treasured by Spanish people.

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Catholic traditions were upheld in this region.

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Turbulent years of change here altered the course of Spanish history.

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The Iberian Peninsula was taken over by the Muslims in the year 711.

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Only the Asturias region managed to escape Islamic occupation.

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Christians started to fight back against the Muslim occupation in this cave.

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This movement later developed into the Spanish Reconquista to recapture the nation.

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This is the grave of a Goth noble, Pelayo, who led the Christian resistance.

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Pelayo defeated the Muslim army here in this mountain region

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and founded the kingdom of Asturias.

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Oviedo became the capital.

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A defensive wall was built to keep the Muslims out.

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The Reconquista movement gained momentum.

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The Asturias kingdom expanded to become the kingdom of Leon Castilla in the 11th century

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and continued to reclaim more Spanish territory.

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Their objective was to liberate the city of Toledo.

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The Catholic archdiocese had been seated in Toledo before the Islamic takeover.

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Moss Arabs still perform a special kind of mass in Toledo Cathedral.

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Moss Arabs are those Christian families who rigorously kept their faith

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despite Muslim domination for numerous generations.

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Toledo was finally returned back into Christian hands thanks to Moss Arab help.

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The Reconquista was finally complete following the eventual surrender of Granada in 1492.

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The fight for freedom had lasted for some 770 years since the first victory at the cave.

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This cathedral was built during the period when Spain was only the small kingdom of Asturias.

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Unique architectural styles unaffected by Islamic influence can be found here.

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This style is known as pre-Romanesque.

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It was a precursor to the latter-day Romanesque style

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that became the main structural style of European cathedrals.

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This place is considered to be Spain's sacred point of origin

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where people fought against Islamic invasion and started their movement to regain their land.

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