Javier Castle

It contains important works of art including a collection of Spanish painting from the 15th to 20th centuries and another collection of 19th-century Japanese kakemonos. It also has a number of historical documents.

Its origins date back to the 10th century. This was the birthplace of one of the two patron saints of the Navarre autonomous region in 1506. It served as a residence for several wealthy lineages such as the Artieda, the Jaso-Azpilicueta and the Aznárez families. The fortress has undergone various transformations throughout its history. In the late 15th century the New Palace was built adjoining it, and this was where the saint was born. A basilica built in the 20th century now stands on the site. Highlights on the interior of the castle include particularly an 18th-century Flemish encaustic work, representing the agony of San Francisco Javier, a 16th-century altarpiece in polychromed alabaster of the Adoration of the Magi, and various murals depicting the Dance of Death. Another of its treasures is the Cristo Chapel, dominated by a 15th-century polychromed wooden carving of Christ on the cross. There are also six vast Baroque paintings by Godofredo Maes, as well as a sculpture of Francisco de Javier holding a lily, dated around 1622, the year of the saint's canonisation. The castle became a museum in 1986 after major archaeological restoration work.