Through its architecture we can witness the passage of time in the province of Alava. From its own varied rural architecture - houses, streets, buildings - to the emblematic towers, strongholds, mansions and walls which have withstood the passing of time.

The capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz, is organised round its medieval quarter which still contains remains of the old town walls.

There are a large number of buildings full of history and life: The tower of the Hurtado de Anda family (XIII century); the Doña Ochanda tower house; the old coach inn El Portalón and the Casa del Cordón (second half of the XV century); the cathedral of Santa María (end of the XIV century) and the churches of San Miguel, San Vicente, and San Pedro (XV-XVI century); the mansions of Escoriaza-Esquivel, Bendaña, Villa Suso, Gobeo, Guevara and San Juan (first half of the XVI century); and many other buildings such as the Plaza de España (XVIII-XIX centuries) and the Teatro Principal and the Parliament building (XIX century).

Likewise, modern architecture is also leaving its mark on the city: the new Palace of Justice building, the headquarters of the Treasury Department, the Town Hall of Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Provincial Council of Alava, the parish church of La Coronación, the facades of buildings with their romantic miradors in the centre of the city, the civic centres and sports facilities, or the new areas on the edge of the city, a clear demonstration of the foresight and good taste of our city planners.

There are an infinite number of buildings of architectural interest in the rest of the Province, for example, the Quejana tower house (XIV century), situated in the Ayala Valley, is a proud symbol of the grandeur of the noblemen who once lived there.
Houses, towers and mansions in Respaldiza, Artziniega, Ayala and Llodio take visitors back to the Early Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance.
The tower house of the Barona family in Villañane; the towers of Mendoza, Fontecha and Martioda; the mansion of the Lazarraga family in Zalduondo; the remains of castles, walls and towers in Bernedo, Salinillas de Buradón, Peñacerrada, Laguardia, Labraza, Antoñana and Guevara; the monastery of La Encina in Artziniega; the Romanesque sanctuary of Estíbaliz and the Romanesque basilica of San Prudencio in Armentia, are some architectural references of the province of Alava.