{"id":2699,"date":"2022-09-13T17:10:24","date_gmt":"2022-09-13T15:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sansebastian.travel\/en\/?p=2699"},"modified":"2022-09-13T17:16:02","modified_gmt":"2022-09-13T15:16:02","slug":"sanctuary-of-aranzazu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sansebastian.travel\/en\/sanctuary-of-aranzazu\/","title":{"rendered":"Sanctuary of Aranzazu (Santuario de Ar\u00e1nzazu)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
If you are willing to make a route through the Basque Country and if you are especially interested in the architectural and artistic heritage, you have to make a mandatory stop in the town of O\u00f1ate Why? Because there you will find a temple that is considered a real jewel, both for its structure and style and for the area in which it is located. We are referring to the Sanctuary of Ar\u00e1nzazu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has become a place of pilgrimage, like the Sanctuary of Loyola, and is erected in honor of the Virgin of Ar\u00e1nzazu, who is the patron saint of Guip\u00fazcoa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the XVI century we can establish that the origin of this religious construction is in the XVI century and it was then when the legend tells that to a shepherd, Rodrigo de Balzategi, the Virgin appeared to him on top of a hawthorn tree. When he saw her there, he said in Basque: “Arantzan su?” (You on the hawthorn?).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And there began the devotion for this image that would end up leading to the construction of a small initial sanctuary, which would be followed by the one that now occupies us, located in an area of ravines and ample nature at 750 meters of altitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mercedarian friars were the first to take charge and live in this enclave, although over the years it would end up in the hands of the Dominicans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the singularities of this patrimonial jewel is that it has suffered three important fires throughout its history:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there is still a crucial moment in the history of this monument of O\u00f1ate and it is the year 1950. Yes, because in this year it was decided to build the new basilica, which can be seen today, over the old church that was devastated by flames in 1834. A project that fell into the hands of the architects Luis Laorga and Saenz de Oiza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They gave shape to a temple that stands out externally for its three towers that make a nod to the hawthorn of the legend, the most important being the bell tower, reaching 44 meters in height. This without forgetting its iron doors made by Eduardo Chillida and the beauty of its arcades and frieze, where the 14 apostles of Oteiza are represented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of its interior, which has 1,200 square meters, stand out, however, its stained glass windows designed by Javier Alvarez de Eulate and the decoration of the apse, made by Lucio Mu\u00f1oz. Majestic decoration that has received several awards over the years and is considered the Sistine Chapel of the twentieth century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, of course, we can not forget its crypt, which is the only part that remains of the construction of the nineteenth century, and the carving of the Virgin of Ar\u00e1nzazu that is in the apse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both for its majestic interior and exterior beauty and for its enclave, this sanctuary in Guipuzcoa is worth a visit. But also because it has behind it a long list of singularities that make it even more attractive and interesting if possible:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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| Sunday<\/td> | 9:00\u201319:00<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you are willing to make a route through the Basque Country and if you are especially interested…\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2699","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-around-san-sebastian","8":"cs-entry","9":"cs-video-wrap"},"yoast_head":"\n |