Tower of the Varona family, the fortress of Villanañe.

Get to know the Varona Tower, one of the most beautiful fortified complexes in Araba.

The Tower of the Varona is one of the many attractions with which the Añana group welcomes us. A spectacular building, of military character, which retains most of its offensive elements. And it is that, besides maintaining intact its interior decoration, this tower palace also maintains its moat, which, surrounding three quarters of the plot that occupies the Tower of the Varona, once defended this space from enemy attacks. We have to say that, although its official name is“Torre Palacio de los Varona“, it is popularly known as the Tower of the Varona, a structure, which was listed as a National Monument in 1949 and as a Historic and Artistic Monumental Site in 1982, almost nothing. The complex that we find today, began as a simple wooden tower, a structure, which evolved along with the construction of a new tower in the fifteenth century and a palace annex in the sixteenth century. Currently, the buildings that we contemplate, tower and palace, have been restored and are in an impeccable state. A noble building, which stands out from everything that surrounds it. Thanks to the great work done by the Provincial Council of Araba and the rest of the competent bodies and the owner family, the Varona family, today it is possible to visit one of the most striking and historic sites in Araba. With the visit to the Varona Tower we crossed off our list a task we had pending for a long time. A guided tour, which has pleased and surprised us. A very worthwhile experience. Before visiting this unique space, we wanted to take advantage of our trip to Araba to visit another of the attractions of the area, the Sobron water museum. A museum located in an incredible natural environment, which, although we personally were not as attracted as the Varona Tower, can be useful for people looking for what to see in the vicinity of this historic building.

The Varona Tower hides behind it an incredible legend. A beautiful and exciting story that explains the reason for its name, and therefore, the family name, which, even today, lives in it. We must remind you that the guided visit to this fortress in Alava is totally free, a fact that makes the visit to this Basque enclave even more attractive. We are sure that many of you who read us have as a friend, acquaintance or relative a descendant of this lineage, as you should know that the surname Varona originates from here, from Villanañe, in Araba.

The purpose of the Varona Tower was to watch over the roads that came from Castile to the Cantabrian coast and from La Rioja to the Ebro Valley. Some crossroads, which, even today, can be seen perfectly from the top of the tower. Strategically located in the middle of a plain, dominating everything that surrounds it, this tower dominates a large part of the valley in which it is located. We must point out that a Roman road used to pass over these lands, linking Astorga and Bordeaux with the Cantabrian Sea, passing through Orduña, a fact that promoted the construction of this type of military buildings in the area where we are. Of all of them, the Varona Tower is the best preserved. Do you know it? If not, we encourage you to do so, you will not be disappointed.

Architecturally speaking, the Varona Tower is one of the most surprising buildings we have visited, a diamond in the rough. Although the Varona Tower is not the best, nor the oldest, nor the largest of all the towers that we find in our territory, what is clear to us is that it is not just another palace tower. In our opinion, this structure is one of the most representative of its kind. And it is that, the Tower of the Varona, has remained virtually intact for centuries while it was occupied by the same family. Some very unique and historical facts, which make this Basque space one of the most special of the entire peninsula. Since it opened its doors to the public in 2003, there have been many people who have come to Villanañe attracted by the legend of the Varona. And you?

History: The legend that surrounds the Tower of the Varona family revolves around one of the descendants of this family, Doña María Pérez. And it is said that this woman was part of the battle that took place in the twelfth century in Barahona, Soria. In it, Alfonso of Castile and Doña Urraca, fought against Alfonso I King of Aragon and Navarre, clearly defeating the latter. But the important thing is not which side won, but how and who was the protagonist of these events. And the fact is that, as we are told, Maria accompanied her two brothers to the battle pretending to be a soldier thanks to a suit of armor that covered her face and body. At night, amid much confusion, Mary met with the very Alfonso the Battler, fighting with him and defeating him. Mary took the Aragonese king in front of Alfonso VII, who, upon discovering that she was a woman, said to her: ” You have acted, not as a weak woman, but as a strong man and you shall be called Varona, you and your descendants, and in memory of such a great deed you shall use the arms of Aragon, which are four bloody bars on a gold field and eight mirrors on the border”. Although these lines contain part history and part legend, what is clear is that Maria was the person who changed the surname of her family and therefore, the last one to carry the surname Perez. In conclusion, we can say that this tower has been inhabited by the same family but with different surnames, Perez (since the 7th century) and Varona (since the 12th century). However, this is not the only hypothesis that exists about this change of surname. Many experts are in favor of the option that the surname Varona came from the place where the battle took place, Barahona. We like more the epic story, where a woman stands up against the prejudices of the time and bets for gender equality. In fact, nowadays, many people consider the figure/character of the Varona a feminist symbol, a woman who fought for equality in the 11th century.

Guided tours: The Varona Tower has been restored and musealized to be visited throughout the year thanks to the different guided tours offered from the tourist office of Valdegovía / Gaubea. Although the guided tour only covers the spaces found inside the house of the Varona family, at the beginning of the visit, during the introduction, all aspects of the exterior of this offensive complex are discussed. Do not worry, once the visit is over you can walk around the outside of this building to understand more clearly everything that has been explained to us during the visit. We must comment that, besides being a free visit, it is not necessary to book in advance, so we can visit the tower on the fly, depending on our priorities. However, we recommend that you do not miss this opportunity. The visit to this tower and palace has helped us to know in first person how people lived in the nineteenth century. The different rooms that we visited, rooms and halls, guide us in this little trip back in time in which we learn some of the secrets of this house. Among everything that caught our attention, we highlight the wallpaper, the crockery from the Cartuja de Sevilla, the Varona light bulbs, the Bohemia glassware or the chests stored in one of its highest points. We remind you that it is not allowed to take pictures inside the Torre Palacio, we respect the privacy of the Varona family.

Interior: Although many of the people who visit the Varona Tower are captivated just by contemplating its exterior, we must say that the interior is just as surprising. And is that this complex accumulates inside a large collection of personal treasures that the Varona family has been keeping over the centuries. A series of elements that have made us travel back in time. Although in this space we can observe objects dating from the fourteenth century to the present day, most of them are from the nineteenth century. And it is that, apparently, the heir who came to live at the beginning of this century wanted to make a decorative change in this Tower Palace, a change that made many of the objects prior to this time disappeared putting in their place some new ones from France. A country that set the trend at that time. That is why most of the decorative objects that we find inside the rooms of the tower are of French style. Although there are many pieces of great value that we find during the visit, we must make special mention to the importance that objects such as wallpaper, ceramics or chests (Kutxak in Basque) have in this collection. In addition to the furniture, the artistic works or the library, we must take into account that the wallpaper we find before us was created by hand in Paris in 1812, one of the first wallpapers in Europe. It is considered to be one of the best collections of wallpaper in existence today. As for the furniture, chairs, tables, couches or desks, most of them are of English origin and many are made with horsehair. Amazing. Meanwhile, the 19th century Valencian ceramics surprise us with scenes from Don Quixote painted on them. As you can see, there are many objects to highlight, but we are not going to reveal all the details, we leave you to discover the rest on your own.

Owners: Today the tower is still occupied by a direct descendant of the Varona family, making this tower especially unique in this sense. And the fact is that, at present, there is no other structure of these characteristics where the family that has occupied it for more than 500 years is still living in it. Curious, isn’t it? To this day, the lord of this tower, Rodrigo Varona, direct descendant of the original lineage of this Tower Palace, still lives inside. With him, there are already 40 generations (13 of the Ruiz Perez and 27 of the Varona) that have occupied this Basque complex. As a curious fact, we should mention that all the male descendants of this family were named Rodrigo, 27 generations to be exact, being the current one, the last of the Rodrigo de los Varona.

Exterior: The exterior of the Varona Tower can be visited freely without schedules, without reservations, without tickets. The exterior of this complex is simply amazing, overwhelming, imposing. Its offensive barriers, accompanied by a large moat of water make us have to overcome the obstacles mentioned above by 2 small bridges to access this small museum. In front of the tower palace, we find a garden with a fountain, where we can appreciate the figure of the Varona with a sword raised next to the family coat of arms. Nearby, in the plain that precedes the palace tower, there is a free and ample parking where we can leave our vehicles.

Innovating: The Varona family has been the bearer of a multitude of technological advances to Villanañe, Araba. Among all of them, we highlight the electric energy or the telephone. According to Rodrigo Varona himself, his house was the second house in the peninsula to have electricity and one of the first to have a telephone.

Hours: The opening hours of the Torre de los Varona are regulated by the season of the year in which we are, so in high season (July and August) this space opens its doors daily except on Sunday afternoons and Mondays, days in which this museum is closed. On the other hand, in low season (the rest of the year) it is only open on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Remember that the guided tours of the Torre de los Varona take place every hour within its schedule, with the last visit being 45 minutes before closing time.

We must remember that the 45-minute guided tours mentioned above are currently the only existing option to get to know the interior of the Varona house. The exception is found in large groups, which, on request, with prior reservation, can visit the tower any day of the week.

How to get there: To get to the Torre de los Varona it is best to leave from Vitoria Gasteiz towards Madrid on the N1 road and take the A2622 to Villanañe. A small and charming village in Alava that reveals one of its greatest jewels as soon as you enter its urban center. It is easy to see from a distance and it is well signposted. If you are coming from Bilbao or the south, the AP-68 is usually a great option. In any case, we recommend you to use the GPS, it usually has no problems to guide us through these lands. If you are thinking of arriving by public transport to Torre de los Varona, we recommend that you check the bus schedules, undoubtedly the best means of transport in this rural area of Araba.

Videos: From today the Varona Tower is part of the small collection of videos that we keep in our YouTube channel. One more tool through which we try to show you the beauty and history of this emblematic place. If you like Euskal Herria, if you want to follow our adventures in this magical land, we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure you will find many surprises inside.

What to see nearby: Añana, one of the most visited regions of Alava, invites us to learn about its history and culture through more than 20 experiences and spaces scattered throughout its territory. And the fact is that this region located in the muga (border in Basque) between Euskadi and Castilla y León, has much to show and little to hide. A rural space, of great natural value, that we visit whenever we can. In this case, we go into the Valley of Valdegovía / Gaubea, an area where the Natural Park of Valderejo stands out in the natural plane and where the Tower of the Varona does so in the historical and architectural plane. Here are some of the most striking spaces that we find in the surroundings of this historical space.

Although these are just a small representation of what we can find in these parts, we strongly recommend you to visit them. For our part, every time we visit any of the tourist attractions in this area of Euskadi we go back home with a smile from ear to ear. We declare ourselves number one fan of this stunning area of Araba. Do you know it?

Other fortresses: Scattered throughout Euskal Herria we find fortresses like the one that concerns us today. Historical buildings, which, wrapped by an atmosphere of legend invite us to visit them to know in first person the stories that keep their huge walls. Here is a small representation of all of them:

Pikutara joan / Poner en la picota: As many of you already know, the expression “poner en la picota” or “pikutara joan” in Basque, comes from the pillories that were so common in the villages of Euskal Herria. A stone pillar, which, equipped with rings or other utensils, was used to execute people who committed a crime. From these facts, has transcended to our days the phrase put in the pillory, go to the pillory, in Basque pikutara joan. These colloquial expressions are used to send someone for a walk. In Villanañe, the task of executing people who committed a crime was in the hands of the Varona family. A responsibility that only some of the people of that time possessed.

The Tower of the Varona is a reference in the Cuadrilla de Añana, one of the best preserved fortified complexes in Araba, one of the most important structures of the historical heritage of Euskadi. A fortress surrounded by magic, which has made us travel back in time and discover part of the history of our land. A 100% recommended visit. We advise you to use the comments of this article to tell us your doubts about this Basque space. We are waiting for you!