BEGOÑA BASILICA

The Basilica of Begoña is the city's oldest church. This beautiful Baroque building, perched high above Bilbao, houses a statue of the city's patron saint, Begoña. It's a magnificent piece of architecture, made all the more original by the fact that it was built not by wealthy noble families, as was customary in the ^16th century, but by ordinary members of the faithful, most of whom were residents of the city of Bilbao. This is confirmed by the shields that crown the nave's pillars, none of which bear the arms of noble families, but rather the emblems of the city's merchants and guilds.
While the basilica's architectural appearance alone justifies a visit, its historical importance should not be underestimated. The basilica's history is closely linked to Carlism. Part of Bilbao's defensive perimeter during the Carlist siege of the ^19th century, it was the scene of the fall of General Zumalacarregui, mortally wounded on June 15, 1835, just off the esplanade. It thus became an ideal sanctuary for the legitimist cause. A century later, on the same esplanade, on August 16, 1942, a bomb exploded outside mass, probably planted by Phalangists, wounding many in the Carlist camp.

The church contains a fine neo-Baroque altarpiece by Modesto Echániz, dating from 1869. It also boasts a carillon dating from 1922, whose 24 bells tinkle out a host of melodies!