Visit to the Sanctuary of Loyola in Azpeitia

The Sanctuary of Loyola stands in the Urola river valley, one kilometre from the town centre of Azpeitia, in Gipuzkoa. The complex was built around the medieval tower-house where Íñigo de Loiola was born in 1491 — later known as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. That original building, now called the Holy House, was incorporated into a grand Baroque ensemble whose centrepiece is the basilica of 1738, topped by a 60-metre dome. The visit can be made independently and covers the Holy House — including the chapel where Saint Ignatius underwent his conversion during his convalescence — and the interior of the basilica. The Sanctuary also houses a Spirituality Centre and a pilgrim hostel, reflecting its ongoing role as a place of Ignatian reference beyond cultural tourism. The Sanctuary is also the starting point of the Three Temples route, which connects Loyola with the Sanctuary of Arantzazu in Oñati and the Basilica of Santa María la Real de la Antigua in Zumarraga, forming a heritage and spirituality itinerary through inland Gipuzkoa.