San Nicolás Church

San Nicolás Church, known in Basque as San Nikolas eliza, stands at the northern edge of the Casco Viejo in Bilbao, on a small square near the river and the Teatro Arriaga. It is dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Bari, the patron saint of sailors, which suits a city that grew rich on its port and shipping. The church was built in the eighteenth century and consecrated in 1756, after an earlier chapel on the site was replaced, and it is one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in the city. Its position on a rise above the river gave it importance as a landmark for ships and for the people who lived and worked on the quays.

The exterior is distinctive. The façade is curved and gently convex, a Baroque device that gives the front a sense of movement, and it is topped with a decorated gable and a bell tower. The architect was Ignacio de Ibero, who gave the church a sophisticated plan rather than the traditional rectangle. The result is a building that looks more like a theatre or a stage set than a plain parish church, and it stands out from the older, more austere churches of the old town.

The interior is based on a Greek cross, with four arms of equal length, and an octagonal space under a central dome, supported by columns. The shapes create a feeling of openness and symmetry, and the light falling from the dome falls on a series of altarpieces. There are five altarpieces in the Rococo style, carved by Juan Pascual de Mena, a sculptor from Madrid who worked on royal commissions, and they show a lighter, more decorative taste that is typical of the later part of the century. They are rich in gilded decoration and sculpture. The main altarpiece, dedicated to the patron saint, holds a figure of Saint Nicholas.

The church lies a few steps from the Plaza Nueva, the Mercado de la Ribera and the Teatro Arriaga, and the Cathedral of Santiago stands deeper in the old town. From the church, you can walk along the river to the Zubizuri bridge and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, or climb the Artxanda Funicular to a viewpoint. It is part of the web of old streets, the Siete Calles, and a pleasant place to stop.

The church suits visitors interested in architecture and religious art, and it is usually quiet. Opening hours vary and are linked to services, so check before you go. A visit takes about half an hour.