Arantzazu Shrine

This Sanctuary, located in the heart of the Basque Country, is not only a space for the spirit but also one of the most representative expressions of contemporary Basque art.

No one doubts that Saint Ignatius of Loyola was at this Sanctuary of Our Lady of Arantzazu (1522). His conversion brought him here, on his way to Montserrat, and here he spent the night during which he declared himself “useful.”

Today, nothing remains of that first sanctuary. The first historical references to the Sanctuary come from Esteban de Garibay. Tradition says that in the spring of 1468, Errodrigo de Baltzategi, while searching for his herd, found the image of Saint Mary following the sound of a bell that was calling him. This discovery, considered a miracle, quickly set pilgrims on their way to Arantzazu.

There have been three fires in Arantzazu, the last of which, in 1834, left it completely destroyed. In 1950, construction began on the new church we see today, designed by the architects Sáenz de Oiza and Laorga. Built on the chasm of the sanctuary, it rises over the living rock. Three stone towers represent the thorns of the bush. At the doors of the church stands the Pietà by Jorge Oteiza, raised as a response to the question of suffering. Below, 14 apostles, images of all men and women.

To enter into the mystery of the church, one must descend into its depths and cross the iron doors by Eduardo Chillida. Inside, in the colorful stillness warmed by wood, we find a magnificent altarpiece by Lucio Muñoz, in a 600 m² landscape of polychrome wood. At the center stands the small 13th-century image of the Virgin. Into this “mountain hermitage” filters the dim light that shines through the stained-glass windows of Xabier Álvarez de Eulate. In the paintings of the place where the image is kept, Xabier Egaña depicts the history of salvation through the mystery of woman.

If we descend into the crypt, the paintings of Nestor Basterretxea show the evolution of human history and the new world of the Risen Jesus.

On September 9th, the feast of Our Lady of Arantzazu, patron saint of Gipuzkoa, is celebrated. From May to October, many towns of the Basque Country come to Arantzazu on their assigned day. Every two years, the pilgrimage of the Arantxa also takes place.

“Gandiaga Topagunea”

A place for meeting and dialogue. This cultural space was created by renovating the building of the first Seminary, with a new modern look. It aims to be a space for unconditional dialogue. It is equipped to host assemblies.

“Mystery”

Gandiaga is a small building located between the Topagunea and the Basilica. The name “Mystery” comes from Oteiza’s sculpture, a friar of Arantzazu offering Saint Mary and the child Jesus to the people. It is a place of silence, reflection, and search. Present images: the hawthorn at the entrance, symbol of life; the rock, dripping water; and the witnesses, some known, most unknown. This small and unique place is linked to the culture and the Basilica so that each person may walk their path: some in the development of their human vocation, others in the encounter and celebration of Christian faith.