Church of Santa María de los Reyes and its polychrome portico

Santa María de los Reyes is the church at the far northern end of Laguardia's old town, the upper part of the town. What people come to see is its Gothic doorway, from the end of the 14th century, with 17th-century polychrome very well preserved. It is shown only on a guided visit with the tourist office, and now with one condition: the portico is under restoration, with a scaffold in front of it.

Twelve apostles on the doorway

The doorway is carved in stone. On the jambs are the twelve apostles and on the central pillar, the image of Santa María de los Reyes. The tympanum is filled with scenes from the life of the Virgin and the archivolts with plant motifs and figures. It is preserved so well because in the 16th century the portico was closed in and was sheltered from the weather. That is why it is seen from inside an enclosure, and why it cannot be seen freely from the street.

Four centuries of building

The church was begun in the 12th century and not finished until the early 16th, so it mixes styles in every corner. Inside, the high altarpiece is from the 17th century and is considered one of Juan de Bascardo's best works. Attached to the church, the Torre Abacial, from the town's old defences, is visited separately.

Scaffold in front of the portico

The portico has damp problems and is undergoing restoration and maintenance work. According to the tourist office, it has a front scaffold that will stay in place throughout the work, about two years. The visit continues, but you will not see the doorway unobstructed: bear that in mind before planning a trip just for it.

Tickets, times and capacity

• Duration: about 40 minutes.
• Price: €5. Reduced, €3.50, for over-65s, people with disabilities, children aged 6 to 17 and students.
• Capacity: 40 places per session; a maximum of four can be bought per connection.
• Times: they change with the season and are shown in the online sales of Turismo de Laguardia.
• Booking: on that website, at the office on Calle Mayor 52, on 945 600 845 or at [email protected].

According to Álava Turismo, the guided visits to Santa María are inclusive and the church has a wooden ramp to get over the entrance step.

Before and after

The office sells the Torre Abacial and the municipal cellar on the same website, so the three visits can be linked in one morning. From the church, the Collado promenade and the Portal de Páganos viewpoint, on the walk round the walled old town, are a few steps away.