Pyrenees Guide

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  Gernika

Symbol of Basque rights and peace, Gernika-Lumo has many attractive sports that are necessary to visit. Located in Busturialdea region, in the historical territory of Bizkaia, the village is home to an exceptional architectural heritage and a perfect starting point for day trips to Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, an exceptional place formed by wide sandy areas.

We'll start the visit in plaza de Los Fueros Square, with the presence of the statue of Don Tello, founder of the village in 1366. Located in the city centre, the town is formed by the Town Hall and the former Town Court nowadays turned into the Peace Museum. During the Spanish Civil War Gernika-Lumo was completely destroyed by German Air Force's Condor Legion, on April 26, 1937. The museum reminds us of the bombing. In fact, in 2003 Gernika-Lumo was awarded the "City of Peace" prize given by UNESCO, and it is also member of the World Association of Martyr Towns.

After this historical journey, we can visit the village's magnificent buildings on the high part of the town. The church of Santa María is located on the right. The church is a beautiful Gothic temple that houses an excellent Walcker organ from 1889. Behind it, the Alegría palace houses the Euskal Herria Museum, with the objective of showing the reality of the Basque Country.

Not very far, the Parque de Europa Park has a varied number of trees and bushes. It is very pleasant to walk along the park with the presence of two big sculptures in the open air: Gure aitaren etxea (Our father's house) by Eduardo Chillida and Large figure in a shelter by Henry Moore.

From the park the visitors can make out the Assembly House of Gernika with walls built around and its symbolic tree. The laws of the territory where written under that tree till 1876 and, nowadays, operates as the Assembly Hall of the General Assemblies of Bizkaia.

We cannot leave Gernika-Lumo without visiting its weekly fair, the most important one in Bizkaia. Every Monday, traders and purchasers gather in this festival full of smells, colours and sounds. Besides, if we visit Gernika-Lumo on October's last Monday, we'll have the opportunity to enjoy the special cattle and farm fair held annually with thousands citizens from different parts of the Basque Country attending.