Peace Dove

Peace Dove (Paloma de la Paz) is a monumental dove sculpture in San Sebastián, one of the landmarks along the city's Bay of Biscay shoreline.

What is this sculpture?

The Peace Dove — Bakearen Usoa in Basque — shows a dove with wings spread wide, facing the viewer head-on. It's built from a steel frame coated in white polyester, a construction chosen to withstand the strong winds and salt-laden air of the Atlantic coast. The piece stands roughly 7 metres tall with a wingspan of about 9 metres, and weighs several tonnes.

Who designed it and when?

The sculpture was created by Nestor Basterretxea Arzadun (1924–2014), a Basque artist from Bermeo known for blending traditional Basque iconography with a modern sculptural language. Commissioned by San Sebastián's city council, it was unveiled on 20 December 1988. The piece was meant as a visible statement of the city's commitment to peace, freedom, and coexistence — themes that carried particular weight in the Basque Country at the time.

Where did it originally stand, and why has it moved?

Its first home was the Paseo de la Zurriola promenade, near where the Kursaal building now stands, looking out over Zurriola beach and the mouth of the Urumea river. In October 1993, works to redevelop the waterfront and build a new breakwater forced a temporary relocation to the Amara district. The dove found its current, more permanent spot only in April 2015, on the Sagües esplanade in the Gros district, once again facing the sea.

Why is it worth seeing?

The Peace Dove sits on most self-guided routes covering San Sebastián's open-air sculptures, alongside works by artists such as Eduardo Chillida. Its frontal, simplified dove shape reads clearly against the open space of the seafront esplanade, and the sculpture's white surface stands out sharply against sky and water, making it an easy landmark to spot on a walk along the Gros coastline. It also offers a quick way to take in both a peace symbol and the everyday atmosphere of the Basque seaside in one stop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed the Peace Dove in San Sebastián? It was designed by Nestor Basterretxea, a Basque artist from Bermeo, on commission from the city council.

When was the sculpture unveiled? The Peace Dove was unveiled on 20 December 1988 on the Paseo de la Zurriola promenade.

Where can visitors see it today? Since April 2015, the Peace Dove has stood on the Sagües esplanade in the Gros district, after an earlier temporary stay in the Amara district from 1993.

What material is the sculpture made from? It consists of a steel frame covered in white polyester, chosen for its resistance to strong coastal winds and humidity.