Elorrio combines a well-preserved medieval town layout with important buildings, archaeological remains and routes for walking and cycling. When planning a trip, you can focus on different aspects: the streets and gates of the historic town, its religious architecture or the Argiñeta Necropolis on the outskirts. The available routes also differ in how they are laid out.
Town history between gates and streets
The historic route through Elorrio dates back to the town’s founding in 1356 by Don Tello, Lord of Bizkaia. The medieval layout of the blocks of houses around the two parallel streets, Calle del Campo and Calle del Río, has been preserved to this day. Don Tello Gate is the only surviving entrance among the seven gates in the former town wall. Together, these places point to different aspects of the town’s history: its founding, medieval urban layout and fortifications.
The history of craftsmanship is also part of the story. In medieval Elorrio, ironworking by ironworkers and blacksmiths was the most important craft socially, economically and politically. It later developed into the iron industry, whose products were exported across the Iberian Peninsula and Europe, and even to America. This development goes beyond the history of individual buildings and shows how important ironworking was to Elorrio’s economy.
Basilica, convent and wayside crosses
In the center of the old town, on Gernikako Arbola Square, stands the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. It is a Gothic building with Renaissance elements, completed in the 16th century. The basilica is almost 50 meters long and 25 meters wide. In 1964, Elorrio became the first place in Vizcaya, Spain, to be declared a Cultural Asset of Special Cultural Interest.
Another historic building in the old town is the Santa Ana Convent. It houses a statue of Saint Valentine and a museum. Elorrio also preserves nine wayside crosses dating from the 16th century. The Kurutziaga Cross is late Gothic, while the other wayside crosses reflect different phases of the Renaissance. Those interested in religious architecture can see different forms and styles within Elorrio’s cultural heritage here.
Argiñeta and places in the landscape
The Argiñeta Necropolis is in the district of Zenita on the outskirts of Elorrio, among ancient oak trees beside the hermitage of San Adrián. It comprises around twenty sarcophagi dating from the 7th to the 9th centuries, as well as five grave stelae with astral iconography. This makes it a distinct archaeological site, different from the buildings in the town center.
Another place with a distinctive architectural layout is the Fuente de Berriozabaleta. It consists of a fountain and a washhouse on a semicircular terrace overlooking the Urkiola mountains. Here, the fountain, washhouse and terrace form a single site; the mountain views add a landscape perspective to its architectural features.
Routes for walking and cycling
The Vía Verde del Tren runs through the Elorrio–Apatamonasterio section almost entirely along the former Durango–Elorrio railway line and connects with the Vía Verde de Arrazola. The former railway track is now used as a walking and cycling route. Naturbideak is laid out differently: this network of routes passes through Elorrio’s districts, offering access to their natural, cultural and scenic diversity. Their different layouts are therefore also worth considering when choosing between the two options: a former railway line on the one hand, and a network of routes through the districts on the other.
An audio guide for Elorrio is available in Basque, Spanish, French, English and Catalan. Before your trip, check the latest information on how to use the audio guide.
Discover more destinations: Urduliz, Valle De Carranza, Urriola, Osma, Santurtzi, Gordejuela, Zelaia, Erandio
For the main travel overview: Bizkaia.
