The Basilica of Santa María del Coro is the grand Baroque church that presides over the Parte Vieja (old town), its ornate facade facing a small square on the Calle Mayor. Built between 1743 and 1765, its elaborate churrigueresque front — a riot of columns, niches, and carved decoration — is one of the most exuberant pieces of Baroque architecture in the Basque Country.
The interior is calmer than the facade suggests: a single grand nave with side chapels, the whole lit by the warm filtered light that is characteristic of 18th-century Spanish church interiors. The choir loft above the entrance is original, and the gilded retablo behind the altar is impressive. Mass is held daily; at other times the church is open to visitors. Look up at the facade from across the street before entering — the proportions work best from a distance, framed by the narrow streets of the Parte Vieja.