Laboral Ciudad de la Cultura
The Laboral is one of the most extraordinary buildings in Spain — a vast, somewhat overwhelming Francoist complex from the 1950s that has been brilliantly repurposed as a theatre, art school, exhibition space and cultural centre unlike anything else in Asturias.
The Architecture
Built between 1945 and 1956 as a vocational school for orphans of miners, the Laboral is the largest building ever constructed in Spain, covering 270,000 square metres. Its central tower, Baroque-influenced church and arcaded courtyards create an atmosphere that oscillates between grandiose and genuinely beautiful.
Guided tours of the building run regularly and take you through spaces that most visitors never see — including the spectacular main church ceiling and the original theatre, which is still in use today.
What's On Inside
The Laboral hosts a changing programme of contemporary art exhibitions, film screenings, concerts and theatre productions — check the website before you visit because there is almost always something worth catching.
The complex also contains the Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático and several creative studios, giving it a living, working energy rather than the dusty feel of a monument.
Getting There & Practicalities
The Laboral sits about 4 km west of the city centre in the Gijón Sur district — not walkable from the beach, but easily reached by taxi, bus or a pleasant cycle along the coastal path.
Allow at least two hours: one for the architecture tour and one to wander the courtyards, visit the current exhibition and have a coffee in the on-site café, which occupies a beautifully vaulted space.
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