Done Joanes ermita

The Done Joanes hermitage (San Juan) is a Romanesque chapel tucked among rocky outcrops near the village of Markinez, in the municipality of Bernedo, in the southern Álava region of the Basque Country. The Basque name "Done Joanes" simply means Saint John — the patron of the chapel, whose stone image still stands on the altar. Built in 1226, the structure is regarded as one of the finest examples of Romanesque art in all of Álava and is listed as a national monument of the Basque Country.

How do you get to the hermitage?

The chapel sits at the edge of the Bernedo municipality, right next to the small village of Markinez. By car, you reach it via local roads connecting Bernedo with the surrounding hamlets; the final stretch is best covered on foot, along a rocky path where the building seems to emerge from among the large boulders rising out of the ground. It's precisely this rugged setting that gives the site its distinctive, almost hidden character, quite different from the typical village churches of the region.

Anyone planning a visit and wanting details on access hours can contact the Bernedo town hall (tel. 945 37 80 41, open 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.). The hermitage isn't open to visitors on a daily basis, so checking local visiting arrangements beforehand will make organizing the trip easier.

What will you see there?

The interior surprises with a level of detail unusual for such a small rural building. The floor plan is rectangular, closed off by a semicircular apse. The nave is covered by a barrel vault divided into three ribbed sections — a solution typical of the finest Romanesque work in the region. The presbytery, narrower and lower than the nave, is separated from it by two half-columns topped with richly carved capitals that support the triumphal arch. These columns rest on distinctive claw-shaped bases, a motif frequently found in Álava's Romanesque architecture.

The presbytery walls are enlivened by two arched niches decorated with floral motifs, and the space is lit by five window openings, each supported by a pair of small columns — a detail rarely seen in buildings of this scale, and a testament to the skill of the workshop that built the church in the 13th century. On the stone altar stands the image of Saint John, the hermitage's patron and the source of its Basque name, Done Joanes.

It's worth pausing to take in how the building sits within its landscape: the rocky ridge from which the surrounding boulders emerge creates a natural backdrop that reinforces the sense of seclusion and quiet sanctity of the place.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and early autumn are the best times to come, when the mountainous landscape of the Álava highlands looks its most striking and temperatures are comfortable for walking the uneven, rocky approach. Summer can get hot, especially at midday, so it's worth planning a morning visit. In winter, access to the surrounding roads can be affected by the weather typical of the Basque Country's upland areas, so it's worth checking conditions before setting out.

Frequently asked questions

What does "Done Joanes" mean? It's the Basque form of the name Saint John (San Juan) — the chapel's patron, whose stone image stands on the altar.

How old is the hermitage? It was built in 1226 and is considered one of the most valuable examples of Romanesque architecture in Álava.

Is the hermitage always open to visitors? There are no fixed visiting hours — for access, it's best to contact the Bernedo town hall directly.

What makes the architecture of this place distinctive? A rectangular plan with a semicircular apse, a three-bay ribbed barrel vault, carved capitals on columns with claw-shaped bases, and five windows each supported by paired columns — all packed into a small stone building set into a rocky landscape.