Onati

About

Oñati translates roughly to “place of many hills” in Basque, which is a fitting name for this village surrounded on three sides by green mountains, with the Aloña limestone formation to the south. The town is home to several important sites including the University of Oñati, founded in 1540 it is one of the oldest university buildings on the Iberian Peninsula, and was the only university in Basque country. Today, it houses the International Institute for the Sociology of Law. Above the city lies the Sanctuary of Arantzazu, which is known for its Pilgrimage Church of Our Lady, where a shepherd is said to have discovered a figure of the Virgin here in 1469. In 1950, some of the leading Basque artists of the the time were commissioned to replace the original church. This unique modern monument features 13 apostles carved into the textured facade, an enormous stone altar, and murals, all surrounded by walking trails through the verdant hills.