San Pedro Parish Church

The Parish Church of San Pedro stands on a small hill that overlooks the mouth of the River Urola. The building looks more like a fort than a church, and it is likely that it indeed served as one during times of crisis and danger. The building has two clearly defined sections: one vertical one, formed by a tower with an almost square floor plan, which rises 34 metres above the ground, and one horizontal one, the body of the church itself, whose regular buttresses are the only elements which serve to lighten somewhat the general sobriety of the construction. 

The inside of the building consists of a single large area of gothic design measuring 30 metres in length and 14.7 metres in width. The bases of three columns which correspond structurally to the external buttresses support the three sections of the marvellous ribbed vault, typical of the late gothic period. The polygonal apse is covered by a starred vault dating from the beginning of the 16th century.

Although the history of the church is linked to that of the old Santa María Monastery, which is documented as far back as the 13th century, its construction is unlikely to have started before the foundation of the Villa in 1347. The oldest parts of the building, i.e. the lower sections of the tower and the first buttresses on either side, seem to date from this period. The rest (upper sections of the tower) would have probably been completed during the 15th century and then finally, during the 16th century, the presbytery vault was added, along with the choir (1530) and the side chapels (1504), paid for by wealthy local families.

One thing that is particularly striking about the church is the contrast between its rather sombre exterior, where the building’s defensive and volumetric characteristics take precedence over any decorative considerations, and its interior, which is one of the most beautiful single-nave gothic enclaves in the Basque Country.

Juan de Antxieta Altarpiece

One of the most spectacular works of art contained in the church is the altarpiece sculpted by Juan de Antxieta and assembled by Martín de Arbizu. The altarpiece is typical of the late 16th century and belongs to the movement known as “romanismo”, a branch of mannerism which imitated the style of artists working in Rome during the fifteen hundreds and was common throughout the northern third of the Iberian peninsular. Thus, the work, which is dedicated to Saint Peter, contains many of the most typical characteristics of this style: construction elements based on the classic orders and monumental human figures whose faces reflect energetic gestures, all in accordance with the Italian mannerist trends disseminated by Michelangelo.

As regards subject matter, the altarpiece contains a base or bench at the bottom which was added during the 18th century to give it more height, thus raising the original bench, carved in Antxieta's workshop, to a more elevated position along with the reliefs of the Last Supper and the Washing of the Feet.  In the centre is the space reserved for the tabernacle, of which only the door remains with the figure of the resurrected Christ. The first section is dominated by Saint Peter, sitting in his cathedral. He is an imposing figure carved in the Michelangelesque style. On the right is the saint's calling and on the left his liberation by an angel (a strikingly beautiful nude figure). The next section features the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, carved in high relief and surrounded by angels. Mary herself is typically depicted, surrounded by masses of pleats and perhaps slightly over-muscled. On the right is the Annunciation and on the left the birth of the Virgin. Altarpieces such as this generally finish with a crucifixion scene, in which Christ on the cross is flanked by the figures of the Virgin Mary and Saint John.

Other striking elements include the smaller, but no less intricate carvings of Saint John the Baptist, Saint Francis, Mary Magdalene and Saint Paul, which line the vertical sides of the columns in the different sections. The church’s original 16th century colours are also worth noting, with marvellous paintings set in sober geometric frames, so typical of the style known as “romanismo” .

Reliefs in the presbytery

The small reliefs over the door of the sacristy and on the other side may once have formed part of an old altarpiece of which nothing else now remains. The scenes depicted are the Scourging and the Descent from the Cross.

The scenes are carved in the Flemish or Hispanic-Flemish style and are remarkable for the expressiveness which characterises these schools, the heirs to the gothic world. 

Side chapels

San Bernabé Chapel (on the right, looking at the main altar) was founded by the Elorriaga family and reflects the driving force behind the economy of Basque ports in the 16th century, i.e. trade with Flanders, since the triptych comes from the Netherlands, although it is difficult to attribute its creation to any one specific artist.

The external part of the doors of the triptych contain a typically Flemish Annunciation scene. Each figure in the scene occupies one of the doors, and the colours are reduced to the white of the Virgin and the Angel and the burgundy of the background.

When open, the triptych depicts the Passion of Christ, with the crucifixion in the centre. Accompanying the event are the donors, with the Elorriaga family coat of arms in the centre, along with the family's guardian saints. On the right is the father with his male heir, and the mother with the rest of the family is depicted on the left.

The scenes of the Passion represented on the side doors include: the Agony in the Garden and the Climb to Calvary on the left, and the Descent from the Cross and the Resurrection on the right. The quality of the colours is achieved by oils, a new material developed in Flanders from the 15th century onwards.

San Antón Chapel (on the left, looking at the main altar) contains a small sculpted altarpiece to which a set of painted doors were added, presumably at a later date. It is more difficult to ascribe this work to the Flemish schools, although it is considered to be imported. The main body shows Saint Anthony, the patron saint of the Sasiola family, the patrons of both the chapel and the triptych. Over this is Calvary and on either side, from top down and from left to right, the Passion of Christ: the Agony in the Garden, the Arrest, Christ before Pilate, the Crown of Thorns, an iconographic anomaly in the centre on the right-hand side, where Saint James appears with another figure, and Jesus with Veronica.
The doors are painted and depict scenes similar to those on the central panel: the Last Supper, the Resurrection, the Washing of the Feet and His Appearance to Mary Magdalene. The outside of the doors is painted in black and white, as is usual in this kind of triptych.

Virgin in the left-hand niche

The Virgin and Child dates from either the 14th or 15th century and is the product of a northern European school (France or Wallonia).

Quintín de Torre’s Christ

The crucified Christ remains one of the Basque Country’s most interesting sculptures from the late 19th and early 20th century. Its interest lies in its links with the splendour of 17th century coloured Spanish carving.

Despite this, however, de Torre tends more to emphasise the essence of the forms, in an attempt to modernise an historic style.

Votive tablet (small chapel on the right)

This painted tablet was donated to the church by Juan Martínez de Mendaro, a citizen of Zumaia who led the Spanish armada in the battle of Gibraltar. The lower half of the painting depicts a scene from this battle and is one of the first representations of this kind of art. The upper half of the painting features the Virgin Mary with the Christ child sitting on a throne and flanked by Saint Peter, who protects the donor, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria. 

San José Altarpiece

Although of little artistic value, today, the altarpiece is a collection of assembled parts which contain several interesting reliefs in the “romanismo” style (end of the 16th century) and a carving of the Virgin of the Rosary. This carving is perhaps the most striking element of the altarpiece, and attests to the spread of this particular devotion and the tradition of carving processional statues.