Logbook · 12 places

What to see and do in Balmaseda

What to see and do in Balmaseda (Enkartazioak / Encartaciones, Bizkaia): 12 places across monuments, nature, activities and curiosities, with a photo and a Google Maps location.

1 Villages · 7 Monuments · 1 Activities · 3 Historical milestones

How far each place is from the centre of Balmaseda

Towns near Balmaseda

What to see in Zalla 5.7 km · 9 places
What to see in Artzentales 6.1 km · 4 places
What to see in Artziniega 8.1 km · 11 places
What to see in Güeñes 8.4 km · 6 places
What to see in Valle de Villaverde 8.5 km · 8 places
What to see in Sopuerta 8.6 km · 4 places
What to see in Gordexola 9.9 km · 3 places
What to see in Galdames 11 km · 6 places

Spain › Basque Country › Bizkaia › Enkartazioak / Encartaciones › Balmaseda

What to see and do in Balmaseda

Balmaseda
Village
Villa founded on 24 January 1199 by Lope Sánchez de Mena under the reign of Alfonso VIII of Castile, with the charter of Logroño: it is the first villa to receive a charter in the territory of present-day Bizkaia. Historic capital of the comarca of the Encartaciones. It has 7,718 inhabitants (INE, 2025).
Puente Viejo o de la Muza
Monument
Romanesque-Gothic bridge built between the 12th and 15th centuries over the Cadagua river, with a central defensive tower where a toll used to be collected. It was declared Monumento Histórico-Artístico (Spain's heritage designation in force between 1931 and 1985) in 1984 (a designation now folded into the Bien de Interés Cultural (Spain's highest level of heritage protection) regime).
Iglesia de San Severino (Balmaseda)
Monument
Church of Gothic construction from the 14th-15th centuries, with a Baroque exterior remodeling and a tower from 1726. It was declared Monumento Histórico-Artístico (Spain's heritage designation in force between 1931 and 1985) in 1984.
Batalla de Valmaseda
Historical milestone
On 5 November 1808, during the Peninsular War, French troops under the command of Victor defeated a corps of the Spanish army in the vicinity of the town.
Pasión Viviente de Balmaseda
Activity
Theatrical reenactment of the Passion of Christ through the streets of the historic quarter, documented since 1771, making it the oldest known Living Passion Play in the Basque Country. It is held during Holy Week.
Ermita de San Sebastián y San Roque
Monument
A sanctuary located at 880 m on Monte Coliza, documented since 1111, in early Gothic style with a three-bay nave and a rectangular chancel. It was nearly destroyed during the Civil War in 1937 and was rebuilt by the architect Manuel María Smith.
Convento de Santa Clara de Balmaseda
Monument
A Baroque complex founded by the merchant Juan de la Piedra, which housed Poor Clare nuns until 1984. Its main altarpiece is the work of Francisco Martínez de Arce.
Iglesia de San Juan Bautista del Moral
Monument
A 15th-century Gothic-Renaissance temple with star vaults and a 1732 tower topped in Churrigueresque style, whose carillon plays the local anthem three times a day. Since 2003 it has housed the Balmaseda History Museum.
Casa Consistorial de Balmaseda
Monument
A Baroque town hall designed by Marcos de Vierna, with a hypostyle arcade popularly nicknamed 'the mosque of Valmaseda.'
Fuero de Logroño y villazgo de Balmaseda
Historical milestone
Balmaseda received the Fuero de Logroño and the status of a town, beginning its development as one of the oldest urban centers in the Encartaciones.
Expulsión de los judíos de Balmaseda
Historical milestone
The Catholic Monarchs confirmed the expulsion of the Jewish community of Balmaseda three years before the Edict of Granada that ordered the general expulsion of Jews from the kingdoms of Spain.
Fábrica de Boinas La Encartada
Monument
An old beret-making textile mill in Balmaseda that preserves original 19th-century machinery, evidence of the industrial identity of the Encartaciones region.