Guernica y Luno Things to Do

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The church of Santa Maria (not to be mixed up with the Santa Maria de la Antigua church ) is the parish church of Guernica. Work began in 1418 and wasn't finished until 1715. It was the peals of this church's bells that gave the first warnings of the impending approach of the bombers in 1937.
In a corner of the Ferial gardens just by Iparraguirre's statue is this magnificent house adorned with paintings of scenes from the Basque style of country living.

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Armed with the map from the tourist office (closed between 13h00 and 16h00) you should have no problem finding your way around the circuit of the major sites. Everything is pretty much within 500 metres of the centre. The schools shown here, actually in a u-shape around a wide patio, and along with the church of Santa Maria are the only buildings in the centre of town that escaped the German bombardment of 1937. Close by are the Ferial gardens, where normally there is a flower clock (it was minus its hands when we were there) and the statue of Iparraguirre, the Basque troubadour.

This was where I learnt (again) that lunch break in Spain is respected. No way to get into the Tourist Office, no way of getting into the museums, no way of getting into the Meeting Hall and the gardens where the "old" tree and the "new" tree are. The oak tree in Guernica is richly sympbolic to the Basques and represents traditionnal freedom for them. For many, many years all laws and edits were sworn by under the tree. New trees are always planted in the exact spot where the father tree stood during 450 years. The "old " tree stood for roughly 150 years and is the one whose trunk is kept in the small temple type of building in the garden. A third tree that withstood the onslaught of the bombing in 1937 had to be replaced when it developed a fungus, but its acorns are kept and developed for future use. Here is the translation of the first stanza of "Gernikako Arbola" by Iparraguirre.

The Tree of Guernica
is blessed
among the Basques;
absolutely loved.
Give and deliver
the fruit unto the world.
We adore you,
holy tree.

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This room houses the Plenary Meetings of the Juntas Generales de Bizkaia, which is the highest representative body of the Parliament of Biscay.

The origin of this ancient institution dates back to the Middle Ages, when meeting were held, complying with the tradition, in the open air around the Tree of Gernika.

With the passage of time, the General Assemblies moved their meetings into that small ecclesiastic enclosure. The building symbolises the tradition of close relationship between public life and religion.

The space, originally designed as an open courtyard, was transformed, on 1964, into a museum dedicated to the history of Biscay.

The room, holding institutional uses, is roofed by huge stained- glass window.

Gernikako Arbola is the Basque word for the tree of Guenica. It is a symbol of the Basque people and their liberties. What you see today was grown from the acorn of the original old oak tree, the trunk which is in the garden too. It is said that the orginal tree is a powerful symbol to the Basque people because it survived the infamous bombing of Guenrica by the Germans during the Spanish Civil War.

Unfortunatly my picture didnt turn out. It was taken with a regular film camera. Hopefully one day I will be able to return to take another photo of the Gernikakao Arbola

Ive recently read that the Guernica tree died in 2005. Very sad. However a saping is supposed to be growing in its place. A symbol of the undying determination of the town and its people.

Prehistoric Caves of Santimamine are fascinating. Five different areas await your exploration.

My favorite were the cave paintings.

The let the tourists into the caves in groups. The hours of admission are 10, 11:15, 12:30, 16:30, and 18:00.

Closed on Sunday and holidays.

You may want to bring a sweater even if you visit in summer as the temperature inside the caves is about 14C.

Phone number below is for the Tourist office in Guernica-Lumo

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The present oak tree was planted on 2005, at age of 19.
The picture shows Asier, my host, and "The Old Tree", located in the garden and surrounded by columns.