The Sanctuary of Arrate

The Sanctuary of Arrate is a landmark for believers in this valley. It is a simple, one-nave Gothic-style temple. Inside, on the contrary, it keeps real masterpieces, such as paintings by Ignacio Zuloaga. 

Nevertheless, the image of Our Lady of Arrate is a key element of worship here. The Lady dates from the 14th century but records from the 13th century mention her. In the oldest documents, she is named as "Arriarteko Andra Mari" (The Lady among the rocks). 

This Lady is very popular not only among believers of this place but also among sailors -there's a replica of a ship hanging from the ceiling- and among the local instrument players -txistu and trikitixa players, to be precise-, who regard her as their patron. The festivity is celebrated on September 8th with a major mass and a procession.