Our Lady of the Conception

The parish church of Ochánduri is dedicated to the Conception of the Virgin and is one of the best examples of sculpture in the River Tirón area. It stands at the northeast end of the hamlet, which it dominates. The church was restored in 1991, leaving its chevet free to the interior as the altarpiece was relocated to the foot of the church. The chevet, part of the nave and its magnificent southern doorway remain from the original stage of the church, with the roofs dating from the late 17th century, as well as a large part of the nave. The apse of Ochánduri is one of the most perfect of the Riojan churches.
Built with good ashlar stone in which we can see different stonework marks, it has four semi columns attached to it that divide it into five sections. In the central one, there is a recessed embrasure decorated with an archivolt supported by small columns with their bases and capitals. The archivolt is decorated with a small arch in the angle, flanked by scotias. The outside of the archivolt is decorated with pointillist decoration. The capitals show figures dancing, holding one ankle and rolling up their sleeves with the other hand. On the opposite side, a central figure holds two flanking birds by the neck. The small bell of this opening is decorated with concentric semicircles and a double succession of tangent half-circles on the outside.