Chillida Leku

Eduardo Chillida, born in San Sebastián in 1924, is the most celebrated Basque sculptor of the twentieth century, and his works stand in public squares and museums across the world. Chillida Leku, which means the place of Chillida, is the museum he created himself, on a hillside estate in Hernani, about ten minutes from the city. He bought the land and its old farmhouse, the Zabalaga caserío, in the 1980s and spent years restoring the building, gutting its interior to reveal the massive oak beams and stone walls, as a home for his work. Around it, he placed his great sculptures in the open air, among beech, oak and magnolia trees, so that the meadows themselves became the gallery. Walking the grounds is a meditative experience: massive forms of rusted iron and granite appear among the trees and on the slopes, and their weight and balance change as you move around them and as the light changes. Inside the farmhouse, smaller works in iron, alabaster, paper and terracotta show the range of his thinking. The museum opened in 2000, closed for some years, and reopened in 2019 in partnership with the international gallery Hauser and Wirth. It is one of the great sculpture parks of Europe and a perfect half-day away from the crowds of the city. This page links to the Tiqets venue page, which offers an entry ticket and a guided tour of about an hour.

Planning the visit: the Tiqets venue page lists opening from Thursday to Monday, from 10:00 to 17:00, with closure on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so plan around midweek. Hours can change with the season and for events, so check before you set off. The entry ticket gives access to the gardens and the farmhouse; the guided tour, with a live guide, lasts about an hour and is the best way to understand Chillida’s ideas about space, weight and emptiness. Tiqets also sells combinations with the San Sebastián hop-on hop-off bus and with the Itsasmuseum in Bilbao.

Getting there: Chillida Leku is at Jauregi Bailara 66 in Hernani, roughly ten minutes by car from central San Sebastián. Local buses run from the city towards Hernani; check the current line and stop before you go, or take a taxi. There is parking for drivers.

Making the most of it: wear comfortable shoes, as the grounds are on a slope and the grass can be wet, and bring a layer, since much of the visit is outdoors. Allow at least ninety minutes. After seeing the estate, look for Chillida’s public works in San Sebastián, above all the Peine del Viento at the foot of Monte Igueldo, and his sculptures at the Bilbao Museoa.