Arantzazu is a world reference in terms of architecture and religious art, especially due to its present Basilica (1950-55), a masterpiece resulting from the joint venture of three Principe de Asturias prize winners: Saénz de Oiza, Jorge Oteiza and Eduardo Chillida. Along with the latter, other great artists took a share in this artwork, as for example: Laorga, Basterretxea, Lucio Muñoz, Alvarez de Eulate or Egaña. It is considered to be the greatest religious building of the 20th century by art experts. The opening of the Seminary in 1909 marks the beginning of Arantzazu’s Golden Century, as it settled itself to be a beacon of Basque culture during Primo Rivera’s and Franco’s dictatorship periods. The magazine Jakin was born on this spot in 1956, and went on to become the lifesaver of euskera, a forbidden language during the Franco regime. In 1968 Arantzazu housed the Congress of Euskaltzaindia (Basque Language Academy), from which derived the decision to unify all dialects. The guidelines of standard Basque, known as “euskara batua”, were laid out by the hands of Franciscan friars such as Luis Villasante or Bitoriano Gandiaga. In 2005, the old seminary was converted into Gandiaga Topagunea, a brand-new building, designed by the architect Miguel Angel Alonso del Val. This building was meant to encourage dialogue between faith and culture, being claimed to stand as the epicentre of the renovation project of Arantzazu and of its adaptation to the new needs of today’s society.

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