Camino Photo of the Day: the Bells of San Esteban

If you’re polite and respectful, the nuns of the Iglesia de San Esteban de Zabaldika will allow you to climb the tight, made-for-defense spiral stone stair cut into the bell tower, with its arrow slits and slippery steps. The sight that greets you at the top includes the oldest church bell in Navarra, and a larger, later one as well. The smaller bell dates to 1377, which makes it older than the church. It probably belonged to the monastery of San Salvador de Asiturri that once existed on the other side of the Río Arga. I was able to ring both of them, and the sounds echoed off the valley and back. The older bell has a beautiful, chiming sound, whereas the larger has more of a clunk.

Date: 03 April 2013
Place: Zabaldika (Navarra, Spain)

Maps! On the way from Zubiri to Pamplona.