Gernika occupies an mportant place in Basque history because for centuries independent Basque leaders met under an oak tree here. The Casa de Juntas stands close to the famous tree, and since 1979 it has been the seat of the Viczayan parliament. The oak of Gernika is the ancient symbol of the Basque people, and in the building is a room with a stained glass roof depicting the oak tree. The original oak is now only a stump and it is protected inside a gazebo.
