The Church of San Salvador of Getaria, a jewel in Gothic art, was completed in 1420, except for the church tower. The classically oriented church has a choir and a main body which is divided into three naves using a practically symmetric trapezoidal floor plan. The nave is 31 meters long, 20 meters high and 10.15 meters wide.

The altarpieces and chancel disappeared in the fire of 1836. The chancel, with walnut choir stalls, was made by sculptor and architect Andrés de Arraóz in 1561 and cost 1,540 ducados. The main altarpiece, created by Martín de Basabe between 1603 and 1605 and costing 21,411 ducados, was made up of three sections culminating in the attic with bas-reliefs depicting the Lord’s Passion.

The church of San Salvador also is of great historic importance, as it was here that the Junta General met in 1397, during which the province of Gipuzkoa was formed, and it was also here that Juan Sebastián Elcano, amongst other illustrious native sons of Getaria, was baptized.

There is a tombstone placed in memory of Elcano in the floor of the threshold of the southern portal. It contained the following inscription: “Here lies the distinguished Captain Juan Sebastián Elcano, resident of and born in the noble city of Getaria, first person to sail around the world in the vessel Victoria; and in the memory of the spirited hero Don Pedro de Echave, Knight of the Order of Calatrava, had this tombstone placed here in the year 1671.”