Places to visit 
CONVENT OF SANTA CLARA
In 1614, a group of nuns from Orduña joined a group of pious women in Portugalete and together they embraced the order of Santa Clara to found a cloistered convent.
In the 19 th century, this unornamented Baroque-style building suffered the consequences of its use as a barracks during the Carlist Wars and from the seizure of Church property, known as the desamortización de Mendizabal. At the end of the century, Francisco Berriozabal adopted a historicist approach to addressing the convent’s restoration.
The main entrance is framed by a triumphal arch with pilasters and crowned by a niche containing a statue of Santa Clara.
Purchased by the local council in 1987, the building was refurbished and adapted for use as a cultural centre. The site of the former cloister was converted into an auditorium and garden area.
The need for urban expansion in the 18th century led to the demolition of the wall that restricted the Town. This gave rise to the street Calle de la Barrera or Calle Nueva, which is now called Calle Casilda Iturrizar, popularly referred to as the “Cuesta de las Maderas” (Slope of the Timbers).
