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Gautegiz Arteaga

It’s history of mills and iron workers became glamorous when Napoleon III built a castle for his wife Eugenia de Montijo next to the salt marshes. Alongside the Urdaibai Bird Center, the castle is an emblem for tourism. However, because of its strategic location with the salt marshes as a unique landscape, close to the historic foral town of Gernika-Lumo and just a few kilometres from some of the most important beaches in Bizkaia, Gautegiz Arteaga has many interesting natural resources.

www.gautegizarteaga.com

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OF TOURIST INTEREST

Arteaga Castle Santa María Parish Church Hermitage Urdaibai Bird Center

Arteaga Castle

Eugenio Bonaparte, daughter of Emperor Napoleon III, was named a native Basque (1856) and his wife, Eugenia de Montijo, as owner of the Arteaga site and decided to recover the deteriorated castle in appreciation of this honour. The outdoor walls remain of the old tower. Thus, a Neomedieval palace was built and a Neogothic tower inspired by French Gothic architecture. It has now been turned into a hotel and restaurant.

Santa María Parish Church

It was founded in the 12th century and rebuilt and extended in 1620. It consists of three domes supported by four pillars, five altars, tomb of the patron saint, purple marble door, front tower and gate at its south side.

San Lorenzo Hermitage

Situated in the neighbourhood of Isla Bekoa, this 16th century hermitage houses within its walls an 11th century Pre-Romanesque window carved in a single block of stone. On the exterior, a stone altar is witness to the importance that hermitages had in ancient times as a community meeting place or to celebrate festivals. From here you will enjoy amazing views of Urdaibai ria.

Urdaibai Bird Center

Urdaibai Bird Center is a great living museum of nature that is open to the public to enjoy the world of birds and their migrations. The equipment is a unique observatory of the tideland.