Basilica of Begoņa
Art & Culture
Cultural Heritage
The basilica of the Virgen de Begoña, patron saint of Bizkaia, dominates Bilbao from a nearby hill.
The church was built by Sancho Martínez de Arego, exactly in the very same spot where the virgin appeared in the beginning of the 16th century.
The basilica is of late Gothic style and the main gate features a beautiful Renaissance triumphal arch.
The Baroque altarpiece disappeared in the first Carlist War and was replaced by the present one, of Elizabethan style. It is presided by a Gothic sculpture of the Virgen de Begoña, of polychrome wood. The belfry dates back to the beginning of the 20th century.
On October 11th, the day of the Virgen de Begoña, they celebrate a lively pilgrimage to pay tribute to "amatxu de Begoña". They organise concerts, banners, children's activities, dance and rural sports exhibitions.
Information of interest
Type of resources
Religious buildings
Monument type
Basílica, santuario y parroquia
Address
Calle Virgen de Begoņa, 38 - 48006 Bilbao
Phone
Artistic style
Gothic
Period
16th Century
Activities
Christmas Concerts and Begoña Choir Week, two weeks before Lent
Services
- Public toilet
- Park
- Shops
