Siervas de María

Siervas de María is a religious community based in Portugalete, a town at the mouth of the Nervión estuary in the Basque Country. The convent building sits on Gregorio Uzquiano street, in the area locals call "El Ojillo", and has been woven into the town's story for well over a century.

Who are the Siervas de María?

The sisters belong to the Institute of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick (Siervas de María, Ministras de los Enfermos), a congregation founded by Saint María Soledad Torres Acosta and dedicated to caring for the ill. The Portugalete community was established on 15 October 1898, and in 2023 it marked 125 years of continuous presence in the town. Over that century and a quarter, roughly 360 sisters have passed through the convent.

What will you actually see?

This isn't a ticketed attraction — it's a living piece of the town's fabric, a convent building tied closely to the history of local healthcare. For decades the sisters ran the Hospital San Juan Bautista, known to residents simply as "el Asilo", from its opening in 1907 until 2020, when a shortage of new vocations led them to hand over its management. Visitors can view the convent's facade and wander the surrounding streets of Portugalete's old quarter, where the sisters' legacy quietly overlaps with everyday town life.

Keep in mind this is an inhabited, working religious site, not a museum — plan for a brief stop on a longer walk through town rather than a scheduled visit.

How do you get there?

Portugalete sits right at the mouth of the Nervión, facing Getxo across the water and connected to it by the famous Puente Colgante (Hanging Bridge), a UNESCO World Heritage site. From Bilbao, the metro (Line 1, Portugalete station) gets you there in about 20-25 minutes, and the convent on Gregorio Uzquiano is just a few minutes' walk from the station toward the old town. Drivers will find parking available in the town centre.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and autumn bring the mildest Basque weather and fewer crowds than summer. October carries particular weight for the community — it's the month the convent was founded back in 1898 — so a visit around then may coincide with local commemorations tied to the sisters' history.

Why does this place matter?

The Siervas de María is a good example of how a modest, easy-to-overlook building can anchor a town's identity. For well over a century, the sisters' care for the sick and elderly — extended not just within Portugalete but to nearby towns on both banks of the estuary — was one of the pillars of local social welfare. It's a rare case of an institution operating continuously from the same spot for more than 125 years.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the Siervas de María convent? It isn't open to the public as a tourist site — it's an active religious community. You can, however, see the building from outside while walking through Portugalete.

How long have the sisters been in Portugalete? The community was founded on 15 October 1898 and has operated continuously in the town ever since; it celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2023.

What did the sisters do in the town? They ran the Hospital San Juan Bautista (known as "el Asilo") from 1907 to 2020, providing healthcare to residents of Portugalete and nearby communities along the Nervión estuary.

How do you reach Portugalete from Bilbao? The easiest way is the metro, Line 1, to Portugalete station — about 20-25 minutes — from where the convent building is a short walk away.