• FESTIVITIES
  • Saint John and Saint Peter
  • San Juan "Decapitated"
  • San Blas
  • Day of the Piper
  • Berberana Pilgrimage
  • San Isidro
• TRADITIONS
  • Nativity Scene of Saint Mary
  • The Verses and the Rosary at Dawn
  • Holy Week
• INTEREST PLACES
  • Visiting the Town
  • Surrounding Areas
  • Another interesting places
  • Touring by Bicycle
  • Orthophotographs
• FACILITIES
  • Sports facilities

VISITING THE TOWN

Laguardia is a town with plenty of history. It is written on its stones and is waiting to be read by the visitors.

When you go through one of the gates leading into the town and walk along the streets you can see some palace like houses that still keep their heraldry ornamentation and some coats of arms engraved on the stone. The church of “Santa María de los Reyes” is on the north side of the town, whose front façade was built with polychrome stone; and on the south side stands the church of “San Juan”.

Right outside the town walls we find public walks all around Laguardia: The Hill Walk, the “Sietes” Walk, the Barbican Walk, the Stork Walk and the new square. These places let your mind flow when you gaze at the vineyards that lie right at your foot.

Town Walls and Gates The town walls of Laguardia are two metres high and are thick, covered with ashlars and topped by a battlemented parapet that, in the past, could be walked all around. There are five gates that lead into the town.

Main Square

Plaza fortificada en el centro de la Villa. Sobresalen en ella el edificio del antiguo ayuntamiento con el escudo imperial de Carlos V, y el ayuntamiento actual, que luce en su fachada el escudo de la Villa. En su fachada, un especial reloj tipo carillón luce desde el 31 de diciembre de 1998.

Cellars The subsoil of Laguardia is tunnelled along with cellars or “caves” excavated six metres down from the streets and houses.

Church of “Santa María de los Reyes” The church begun in the 12 th century and finished in the 16 th century. Its monumental Gothic door, made of stone at the end of the14 th century is the most artistic part of the construction; its polychromy is perfectly preserved and it dates from the 17 th century. The main reredos was made in the 17 th century by Juan de Bascardo.

Abbot's Tower The tower has a military function when it was built in the 13 th century. The battlemented top was removed when the tower underwent some architectural changes. On the north side stood the castle founded by “Sancho Abarca” that gave rise to Laguardia.

Church of “San Juan” (the Baptist) Nearly all the construction is Gothic. In the 18 th century the church was widened with a chapel at its foot, called “Capilla de Nuestra Señora del Pilar” (Chapel of Our Lady at the pilaster). Outside its south façade is the most interesting part; it is called the “door of the grandfathers”, built in a very early Gothic style .

The Hill Walk

The shape of Laguardia  is similar to that of an imaginary ship, and on its “bow” we can see the beautiful “Hill Walk”. Right at the corner you can see the bust of Félix Mª Sánchez Samaniego facing the blow of the wind .

This walk is a very beautiful place. From here you can see the Cantabrian mountains standing in a majestic way and at their foot lie the lands of Navarre, Castile and Aragon, blending with the blue sky.

 

Ayuntamiento de Laguardia
Guardiako Udala
© 2005