The Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Itziar

The sanctuary of Santa María de Itziar is a very old temple believed to be built in the 8th century and reformed in the 16th century. 

The church has only one nave of singular width, without intermediate columns and divided into three-square stretches. The image of the virgin, thought to be one of the oldest in Gipuzkoa together with the image of the Church del Juncal in Irún, prevails in the interior. That image, located in the main altarpiece, has a proportioned and expressive face and it is one of the nicest in Basque Iconography and very revered by Basque seamen. 

Besides, the church contains a magnificent altarpiece of Plateresque style. Andrés de Araoz built the wooden altarpiece in the 16th Century. Outside the church stands the excellent sculpture made of steel that is called "Amatasuna" (Motherhood) by the sculptor Jorge Oteiza.