Asturias Day grew from the medieval legacy of the Battle of Covadonga and the patronage of the Virgin of Covadonga. Officially recognized after Spain's return to democracy, it now blends religion, history, and regional identity in a celebration of Asturian pride.

When is Asturias Day?

Asturias Day in Spain is celebrated every year on September 8.

The following is the list of Asturias Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Asturias Day?

Asturias Day traces its symbolic origins to the Battle of Covadonga, fought in the early 8th century. Led by Pelayo (Pelagius), a Visigoth noble, Asturian forces defeated a Muslim army in the mountains near Covadonga.

Though small in scale, the victory is seen as the beginning of the Reconquista, the centuries-long Christian effort to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula. As legend tells, the Virgin of Covadonga (La Santina) interceded spiritually in the battle, and she later became the patron saint of Asturias.

The Catholic Church celebrates September 8 as the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

In Asturias, this date became closely associated with the Virgin of Covadonga, giving it both a religious and regional identity.

After Francisco Franco's dictatorship (1939–1975), which suppressed regional identities, Spain's 1978 Constitution granted autonomy to its historic regions. Asturias gained autonomy with the Statute of Autonomy of 1981, officially recognizing it as an autonomous community.

In this context, September 8 was declared Asturias Day, uniting the religious devotion to La Santina with the region's modern political and cultural identity.