Asturian art was one of the typical styles of the pre-Romanesque era, and spread throughout the whole of the Cantabrian seaboard. It contributed new elements to the Visigoth tradition – such as the horseshoe arch, probably imported from the East or from Lombardy in Italy, which served to enrich it and convert it into a forerunner of the future Romanesque art. The Asturian kings encouraged the construction of churches and palaces with vaults, walls and complex supports, as well as monumental sculptural decoration and a rich tradition in mural painting. They also produced valuable works in gold of great beauty.