Three squares shape the old town of Salinillas de Buradón: Plaza de la Iglesia, Plaza de Oriente and Plaza Mayor. The latter is considered the most important and distinguished square. The town also has a medieval appearance, evident in its narrow streets and two- or three-storey buildings. Elegant projections and ground-floor arcades add to the characteristic look of the houses.

Squares, alleys and fortification walls

The architectural details give your visit a clear focus if you are interested in local history and architecture. The buildings catch the eye with projections beyond the façade line, as well as ground-floor arcades. Together with the narrow streets, they form part of the medieval townscape preserved in the old town.

The fortification walls are also a striking feature of the townscape. They have two monumental gates with defensive features: loopholes and remnants of the wall walk. The gates and surviving remains of the wall walk point to different elements of the fortifications, while the loopholes show their defensive function.

Church, palace and hospital

The Church of the Immaculate Conception dates from the 16th century. Its floor plan is shaped like a Latin cross, and the apse is polygonal. The building can therefore be described not only by its period but also by its layout: the cross-shaped plan and the many-sided end of the apse are specific architectural features. The church also houses a Rococo altarpiece.

Below the choir is the Renaissance tomb of Pedro Vélez de Guevara and Juana Enríquez de Acuña, dating from 1599. It is considered one of the best-preserved tombs in the province of Álava. The tomb adds a clearly dated work of art and a dedication naming the married couple to the church’s architectural features.

The Palacio de los Condes de Oñate was built between 1631 and 1666 in the classical Roman style. The medieval tower of the Sarmiento and Ayala families still stands nearby and remains visible today. The surviving tower and the later palace bring two different periods of construction into relation with one another. The 14th-century Gothic Hospital de Santa Ana, which served the poor, the sick and pilgrims, is also part of the town’s older heritage.

Saltworks, the Camino de Santiago and Rioja Alavesa

The town’s history is also connected with its saltworks, which have been exploited since the 12th century. In 1264, King Alfonso X the Wise granted town charter to the settlement by the spring and saltworks. The two dates mark different stages: the saltworks began to be used before the town charter was granted.

Salinillas de Buradón is the last place in the province of Álava on the Camino de Santiago route towards Santiago de Compostela. From Buradón, the Camino del Interior Vasco Riojano initially follows the GR-99; it then continues along an ascent of about two kilometres to Portillo de la Lobera. Salinillas de Buradón is also a gateway to Rioja Alavesa via the N-124 road. The Camino de Santiago and the road thus provide two different points of reference for the town: the pilgrimage route towards Compostela and access to Rioja Alavesa.

In June, the town’s underground wine cellars take centre stage during the Jornada de Puertas Abiertas de Bodegas. If you would like to include the event in your travel plans, check the dates for your preferred travel period.

For the broader travel overview: Labastida.