History of the Virgin • The Basilica of BEGOÑA

The image of the Virgin of Begoña is a Romanesque-Gothic carving from the 13th and 14th centuries. It is made of polychrome wood and is 117cm high.

The image was from the beginning of the 14th century in a small hermitage on the Artagan hill. It could have been the Lord of Biscay, Don Diego López de Haro, or some of his predecessors, who donated the image.

The carving of the Amatxu

In 1932 Father Lizarralde wrote about this image:

“It is a splendid 14th century work of imagery, contemporary sister and twin to many others in Biscay, all of whom she surpasses in beauty and richness of ornamentation, as well as in birthright and devoted celebrity. She, therefore, has been up to the present, the representative of all her older or younger sisters depending on the time, in national contests for iconological studies of the Virgin”.

The Amatxu around the world

The tradition, faith and devotion towards the Virgin of Begoña goes beyond the borders of the territory of Biscay and extends throughout the world. The presence of our Amatxu has been brought to the different towns and cities by Bizcayans who wanted to maintain the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary. These are some of the many places where the Amatxu is present: