Basilica of Begoña

Perched on a hill overlooking the old town, this basilica is dedicated to the patron saint of the province and has drawn pilgrims for centuries. Begun in the early sixteenth century in a Gothic style, it was completed over later periods and crowned with a tall tower. A grand covered stairway of more than three hundred steps climbs to the sanctuary from the medieval quarter below. The revered image of the Virgin housed within makes it one of the most important devotional sites in the Basque Country.