Square / Plaza de las Brullerias. Monument to Ken Follet, author and writer, in front of the old Cathedral of Vitoria. Taken from May 31th of 2008 with "sepia" filter in 28 mm f14.

Plaza de las Brullerias - Vitoria-Gasteiz visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Plaza de las Brullerias' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Basque Country.

A study in sepia tones of a courtyard square in Vitoria-Gasteiz, a city in northern Spanish province of Álava, capital of the autonomous region of the Basque Country.

Steeped in a colourful history which can be traced back to Roman times, Alava province bears witness to kings and counts, castles and battles, and tales of romance and heroism. Throughout medieval history, the "flat plains" which give Alava its name were frequently fought over. Many of the oldest towns in the region were founded as defensive fortifications for the local nobility to protect the people living on their lands. One such town is Vitoria-Gastiez, still adorned with magnificent medieval buildings such as Casa del Cordon, the 14th century gothic Cathedral of Sta. Maria, the 16th century Museum of Archaeology and the Torre de Doña Otxanda (a tower which hosts the Museum of Natural Sciences).

In modern day, Vitoria-Gastiez is known for hosting annual music festivals and for the lavish celebrations to honour their saints during the first week each August.

Vitoria-Gasteiz welcomed a renewed prominence when author Ken Follett was inspired to write his latest novel, "World Without End" and base it in the city. He was so inspired by his visit to the cathedral that he wrote that Santa Maria was "one of the three most interesting cathedrals in the world". In gratitude, he was honoured with this statue which bears a remarkable likeness to him.

If visiting Vitoria-Gastiez, it is well worth taking a tour of the cathedrals and churches within the city. The cathedrals of St Mary (the old cathedral) and Mary Immaculate (20th century cathedral), the churches of St. Peter the Apostle and St Michael the Archangel, St Vincent Martyr and the Iglesia del Carmen are among the many fine buildings worth visiting. There are also several museums including the Museum of Religious Art of Alava, the Museum of Natural Sciences, the Museums of Fine Arts and Archeology and there is even a Museum of Playing Cards to celebrate one of the oldest manufacturing industries from the region.

By road: NI Irun-Madrid is the major motorway to the country's capital city. The A-620-Vitoria Altube connects with the A-68-Logrono Bilbao, and the new AP -1 Between Vitoria and Eibar are the main interstate highways.

By rail: the main route to Madrid takes approx 3 hours 45 mins and runs about 6 times a day.

By air: Bilbao airport is currently the nearest in the region.