HISTORICAL-ARTISTIC MONUMENT
16th CENTURY – BASQUE GOTHIC
A church of cathedral-like grandeur, a landmark of Basque Gothic architecture. It is characterized by its hall-style floor plan, three naves of equal height, ribbed vaults, columns (with Attic bases, cylindrical shafts, and Doric capitals), and the robustness of the exterior buttresses.
The master builders who oversaw the construction were Errestaburu, Armendia, and Juan de Lizarazu.
ALTARPIECE: 18th century. Baroque–Rococo. Historic-Artistic Monument.
Dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, who is depicted surrounded by the twelve apostles. Commissioned thanks to a donation by the insurance broker “Martin de Lardizabal y Elorza,” whose titles included Mayor of Madrid and member of His Majesty’s Council in the Supreme Council of the Indies.
The design was created by “Miguel de Irazusta,” a native of Alkiza. Upon his death, his student Diego Martínez de Arce continued the work. The sculptural ensemble, comprising 42 figures, was created by the finest sculptor of the era, “Luis Salvador Carmona,” and was gilded by “Manuel de Alquizalete,” with the work completed in 1749.