Casona de Regla (House of Regla), Oviedo

Just outside Oviedo’s old medieval walls, the House of Regla stands as a fascinating testament to early industrial architecture in Asturias, now protected as a declared Asset of Cultural Interest. Erected between roughly 1775 and 1780 for Antonio López de Dóriga, a prominent merchant and landowner, this semirural manor combined living quarters, offices, and production space in a single complex-a rare example of functional yet elegant construction for its time.

The design is attributed to architect Manuel Reguera González, who masterfully blended refined academic elements with popular regional forms. The rectangular, three-story building capped with a mansard attic features solid stone corners, elegantly framed balconies and windows, and a gently sloping tile roof. A double exterior staircase with a patín marks the principal entrance.

House of Regla isn’t just architecturally significant-it’s also historically resonant. In 1888 the renowned Asturian musicologist Eduardo Martínez Torner was born here, honored by an inscription on the façade commemorating his contributions to the region’s musical heritage. Over the centuries it hosted both a Talavera pottery workshop and a tannery.