Monastery of Santa Maria de Estíbaliz
Sanctuary of Estíbaliz / Sancta Maria de Estivalez / Estibalitz
(Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava / Araba)
South facade
The place of Estíbaliz is mentioned in the 10th century, when it was the centre of a county and had a castle and church. A monastery was also mentioned in the following century. In 1074 (or probably in 1086) Álvaro González de Guinea donated an altar of this church belonging to the monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla to the monastery of Sancta María de Estivalez.
Porta Speciosa
Later, in 1138, María López gave the house to the monastery of Santa María de Nájera. From then on, the Romanesque church was built, which is still preserved, although it has been modified. There are practically no records of this monastic house, and it may never have had a stable community. The Benedictines of Nájera would have looked after the place until 1432 when it was bought by Fernán López de Ayala, and in 1542 it passed into the hands of the Hospital de Santiago, in Vitoria. There was then an unsuccessful attempt to establish a community, and it fell into decline until 1922, when it was ceded to the bishopric of Vitoria and restored. Between 1923 and 2022 it was the seat of a monastery of Benedictine monks.
Porta Speciosa
Porta Speciosa
Our Lady of Estíbaliz
Baptismal font
Expulsion from Paradise
Vegetable capital
Annunciation
Original sin
West facade
- GARCÍA GUINEA, Miguel Ángel (2011). Enciclopedia del Románico en el País Vasco. Aguilar de Campoo. Fundación Santa María La Real
- GÓMEZ, Agustín (1997). Asimilación y transmisión del arte románico en el País Vasco, el caso de Estibaliz (Álava). Kobie, núm. XI
- GONZÁLEZ, Jesús María (2004). La Basílica de Estibaliz. Padres Benedictinos de Estibaliz
- MELLÉN, Isabel (2018). Luces en la sombra, los primeros siglos de Estíbaliz a través de sus documentos (siglos X-XII). Sancho el sabio, núm. 41
- RUIZ, A. (1963). Sainte-Marie d’Estibaliz. Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques. Vol. 15. París: Letouzey et Ané
- RUIZ DE LOIZAGA, Saturnino (2004). Las órdenes religiosas del País Vasco en la Edad Media (siglos XIII-XV) a la luz de los documentos pontificios. Historia de los Religiosos en el País Vasco y Navarra, vol. 1
The sanctuary of Estíbaliz is located in Argandoña, a municipality of Vitoria, east of this city