Art & Culture
Cultural Heritage
The parish church of the Asunción de Santa María of Lekeitio is an excellent example of late Gothic style.
The present temple, finished at the end of the 15th century, replaced an old Romanesque church. Later on, in the 19th century, the church underwent a thorough restoration (paid by Pascual Abaroa) and since then has a new vestry, an ambulatory and a big side portico, all of them in Gothic style.
After the restoration, it was recognised as basilica. The basilica of Santa María is also an interesting architecture and iconography museum. Its is, both from the outside and inside, a spectacular work of art.
Inside, stands out its main altarpiece, a polychromed and gilded Gothic-Flemish piece, recently restored. It is one of the most important in Bizkaia due to its dimensions and polychromy, and even one of the most important in the peninsula. We can also admire its ambulatoryýs highly valuable image collection.
Other remarkable features: the organ and the harmonium, both of Neo-Gothic style. The organ follows the Cavallé-Coll style, and was a donation to the municipality by José Javier de Uribarren in 1854.
Basilica
The concerts of the Itxas Soinua International festival are held during the month of August.
