Visit the Cathedral of Bilbao, the jewel of the Old Quarter of the city
The Cathedral of Santiago, as the Bilbao cathedral is known, is the oldest church in the city since it dates back to 1379 and is one of the main places to visit in Bilbao and its Old Town.
Bilbao Cathedral is located in the Plazuela de Santiago and although it does not have a large space in front of it to admire its façade in all its splendor, it does have a special charm.
It is also the most monumental Gothic church in Vizcaya and is dedicated to the patron saint of Bilbao, Santiago el Mayor, forming part of the Camino de Santiago itself.
What to see in Bilbao Cathedral
The exterior of Bilbao Cathedral
From the outside of Bilbao Cathedral we must highlight its façade and its only tower, giving it an asymmetry that increases the charm of this monument. The facade is neo-Gothic in style with a beautiful rose window on the cover of which are the sculptures of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
The tower that we can see is not the original, since it is known that there have been three previous ones that for one reason or another were replaced. The current one, also in neo-Gothic style, was built at the end of the 19th century and is 64 meters high.
After admiring the exterior of the Bilbao Cathedral, it’s time to cross its cover and enjoy its interior.
The interior of the Cathedral
Inside the Cathedral of Bilbao we can visit several points of interest. It is divided into 3 naves separated by cylindrical columns and covered with ribbed vaults.
Around it we can admire numerous chapels very different from each other with works of art and dedicated to different virgins and saints. The most interesting are the one of the Virgen del Carmen, with a sculpture dedicated to it, and those of the ambulatory with Saint Joseph as a star and the image of the saint with the Child Jesus in his arms.
The Chapel of Montserrat or the Chapel of San Antón are also very interesting and a must-see inside the Bilbao Cathedral. But if one must be highlighted above the others, it is the Chapel of Cristo del Buen Amor, with its 20th-century neo-Gothic altarpiece and the image of Christ, highly venerated in Bilbao.
Other places of interest that we should not miss in Bilbao Cathedral are the sacristy, with a carving of Cristo de la Luz, and the Cloister, the only Gothic one preserved in Biscay along with the Convent of San Francisco de Bermeo.
You can find more information on the official page of the Cathedral of Santiago de Bilbao.
