In Murchante, sacred art and local customs span different periods: the Iglesia Ntra. Señora de la Asunción and the Museo Basiano invite visitors to explore architectural and artistic history; several traditions are tied to specific dates or calendar weekends. If you would like to plan your trip around a festival, check its date for the relevant year in advance.

Church Art and the Museo Basiano

The Iglesia Ntra. Señora de la Asunción was built in 1952 on the site of an older church and is considered a Churrigueresque building. Its main altar dates from 1700. The building and altar therefore represent distinctly different periods. The year the church was built sits alongside the older date of the main altar, while the site had already been home to a church before then.

The Museo Basiano is housed in the Casa de Cultura de Murchante and is dedicated to the local painter Jesús Basiano Martínez Pérez (1889–1966). The collection includes paintings, the painter’s personal belongings and various documents about him. Its focus is therefore on a single artist and a range of materials relating to his life.

Traditions Throughout the Year

El Paloteado takes place on August 15 in the Plaza de los Fueros and is part of Murchante’s patron saint festivities. The performance combines dance, Paloteado and the colorful Encintado. The date provides a fixed point of reference for planning a trip in August; check the dates for your travel year, as annual programs may change.

The celebration of San Gregorio is also tied to the calendar: the tradition of blessing the fields is still practiced in Murchante and takes place on the Sunday closest to May 9. The festivities conclude with folk races known as “joyas” and outdoor meals. The date therefore depends on the calendar and does not fall on the same day every year.

Another May custom is El Mayo. A tree, usually a poplar, is erected in the Plaza de los Fueros. The custom was revived by the Cofradía de la Tostada de Ajo after disappearing for decades. In November comes the Santo Cristo celebration: it takes place on the second weekend of November, with a solemn Mass and a procession through Murchante.

Sacred artworks include the Santo Cristo de la Cruz a Cuestas, a Baroque carving from the early 17th century by Juan de Biniés and Pedro Martínez. The town’s architectural history, collection and customs thus offer a range of cultural points of interest: from the altar and church building to a local painter and recurring celebrations throughout the year.

Exercise and the Outdoors

The Circuito urbano is a six-kilometer fitness trail around Murchante. Several pieces of exercise equipment complement the route. As facilities may change, check the current condition of the trail and equipment on site.

At Cabezo San Gregorio, there is a hermitage and several picnic areas. The Vía Verde del Tarazonica is suitable for pedestrians and cyclists; check its current maintenance status on site. These offer different options: a fitness trail with exercise equipment, a spot with a hermitage and picnic areas, and a route suitable for pedestrians and cyclists.

Discover more destinations: Arano, Riezu, Villafranca, Enériz, Lekunberri, Beintza-Labaien, Arantza, Ostiz.

Return to the main travel overview: Navarra.