Guided Visit to the Estíbaliz Sanctuary and Romanesque Heritage

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Estíbaliz stands a few kilometres from Vitoria (Vitoria-Gasteiz), on the hill of Estíbaliz. Declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1931, it is a Romanesque church from the 12th century with early Gothic elements, built on a Latin cross plan with a single nave and a triconch apse formed by three semicircular apses. Its most notable features include the south portal with carved jambs and sculpted column shafts, the Romanesque statue of the patron saint of Álava and a baptismal font from the same period. The guided visit provides insight into the architecture and symbolism of the complex. Immediately adjacent, the Romanesque Interpretation Centre of Álava spreads across four exhibition spaces covering the origins of the Romanesque style, its presence across the province and its specific expression at the sanctuary. A stop that brings together religious heritage, medieval art history and landscape, fitting naturally into a wider route around Vitoria-Gasteiz.