Guernica
Guernica and Basque name Gernika, is a town in the province of Biscay, in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain. The town of Guernica is united in one municipality with neighbouring Lumo, as Gernika-Lumo; the population of the municipality is 16,224 as of 2009. Gernika is best known to those residing outside the Basque region as the scene of the April 26, 1937, Bombing of Guernica, one of the first aerial bombings by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe, it inspired the painting Guernica by Pablo Picasso. This village is situated at 10m altitude, in the region of Busturialdea, in the valley of the Oka river, its mouth is known as Urdaibai's estuary's heart. Gernika borders on the following townships: North: Forua and Arratzu. East: Ajangiz South: Muxika West: Errigoiti The town of Guernica was founded by Count Tello on April 28, 1366, at the intersection of the road from Bermeo to Durango with the road from Bilbao to Elantxobe and Lekeitio; the strategic importance of the site was increased by the fact that it lay on a major river estuary, where vessels could dock at the port of Suso.
In time, it took on the typical shape of a Basque town, comprising a series of parallel streets and a transverse street called Santa María, with a church at each end of the built-up area. Life in the town became rigidly structured, with the aim being to preserve the privileges of the dominant middle classes; this pattern continued unaltered until the late 17th century. On a small hillock in the town, stands the Meeting House and the famous Tree of Gernika. By ancient tradition and indeed other peoples in Medieval Europe, held assemblies under a tree an oak, to discuss matters affecting the community. In Biscay, each administrative district had its appointed tree, but over the centuries, the Tree of Guernica acquired particular importance, it stood on a site known as Gernikazarra, beside a small shrine. The laws of Biscay continued to be drawn up under this tree until 1876, with each town and village in the province sending two representatives to the sessions, known as General Assemblies; this early form of democracy was recorded by the philosopher Rousseau, by the poet Wordsworth, by the dramatist Tirso de Molina and by the composer Iparragirre, who wrote the piece called Gernikako Arbola.
When the Domain of Biscay was incorporated into the kingdom of Castile, the king of Castile visited Guernica and swore an oath under the Tree promising to uphold the fueros or local laws of Biscay. The oath of King Ferdinand, known as the "Catholic Monarch", on June 30, 1476, is depicted in a painting by Francisco de Mendieta popularly known as El besamanos. On July 3, 1875, during the Carlist Wars, the pretender to the throne Don Carlos of the house of Hapsburg visited Guernica and swore the oath. Throughout the 19th century, there were frequent meetings under the Tree, including both General Assemblies and other political events. By the 18th century, there was a square at the centre of the town, flanked by the town hall, a public gaol housing prisoners from all over the Lordship of Biscay, a hospital and a poor-house for local people. Day-to-day life comprised agriculture and trade; this was a time of continual conflicts with the neighbouring parish of Lumo over disputed land. These disputes were not settled until 1882, when the two parishes joined together to form Gernika-Lumo.
The first industrial concerns were set up in the early years of the 20th century. This encouraged population growth, the town grew from 4,500 inhabitants in 1920 to 6,000 in 1936. On April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, Guernica was the scene of the Bombing of Guernica by the Condor Legion of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe and the Italian Aviazione Legionaria. According to official Basque figures, 1,654 civilians were killed, but German sources report a round figure of 300 civilians killed in the bombing, according to the German Bundeswehr Magazine; the raid was requested by Francisco Franco to aid in his overthrowing the Basque Government and the Spanish Republican government. The town was devastated, though the Oak of Guernica survived; the Bombing of Guernica is considered to be the beginning of the Luftwaffe doctrine of terror bombing, where civilian targets were selected to demoralize the enemy. Pablo Picasso painted his famous Guernica painting to commemorate the horrors of the bombing and René Iché made a violent sculpture the day after the bombing.
The bombing went on continuously for three hours. Celebrations were staged in 1966 to mark the 600th anniversary of the founding of the town; as part of these celebrations, a statue of Count Tello, made by local sculptor Agustín Herranz, was set up in the Fueros square. At present, Gernika-Lumo has 16,244 inhabitants, it is a town with a prosperous service sector, is home to industrial companies, as well as good cultural and educational amenities. Guernica is the seat of the parliament of the province of Biscay, whose executive branch is located in nearby Bilbao. In prior centuries, Lumo had been the meeting place of the traditional Biscayan assembly, Urduña and chartered towns like Guernica were under the direct authority of the Lord of Biscay, Enkarterri and the Durango area had separate assemblies. All would hold assemblies under local big trees; as time passed, the role of separate assemblies was superseded by the single assembly in Guernica, by 1512, its oak, known as the Gernikako Arbola
Portugalete
Portugalete is a town lying to the west of Bilbao in the province of Biscay in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain. The town is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area, it is located on the left bank. Its land area is only 3.21 km², resulting in a population density of 15,908.4 persons/km², the fifth-most densely populated municipality in Spain. In 1300 Portugalete became the main competitor port for Bilbao, but it lost its predominant position in 1511 when the trade privileges were granted to the Port of Bilbao instead of Portugalete. Despite its name, it is not near the Spanish border with Portugal and its name is not etymologically related with that country: it derives, from a phonetic adaptation of its Basque name to the Spanish language; the city has a transporter bridge. The car ferry is suspended from a frame by wires attached to wheels on tracks above the cabin and moves from one side of the River Nervión to the other via a traction system; this bridge was declared a World Heritage Site on 13 July 2006.
The festivals last four days, from 14 to 17 August, the main festivities occurring on 15 and 16 August, San Roque Day. The people sing the song "La Diana Portugaluja" outside the Town Hall in the morning of 15 August to mark the eve of San Roque Day. Monuments in Portugalete include the 15th century Basílica of Santa María, Salazar's Tower, the town hall in addition to the old mediaeval arches and streets in the older part of the city. Official website PORTUGALETE in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia
Etxebarri
Etxebarri, Doneztebeko Elizatea is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Autonomous Basque Community, in the North of Spain. Since 13 January 2005, the name of "Etxebarri, Doneztebeko Elizatea" has been changed to "Etxebarri" to simplify the name, it translates as "new home/house". Prior to the introduction of Standard Basque, the town's name was spelled Echevarri. Etxebarri has an area of 33.38 square kilometres and a population of 10,337 people, with a density of 2421.72 inhabitants/km2. Being so close to Bilbao has had a direct effect on Etxebarri; until a few decades ago, Etxebarri was a small nucleus in which its rural population worked in industrial areas. Both the population and the industrial land increased because of the congestion of Bilbao and the need for space for the installation of industries. Therefore, there was a significant increase in new population in the locality. In addition, since 2004, the Metro Bilbao underground train has reached Etxebarri.
In fact, the threshold stipulated. It has a metro station of the rapid transit service Metro Bilbao and a train station of the commuter rail service EuskoTren. ETXEBARRI, ANTEIGLESIA DE SAN ESTEBAN - ETXEBARRI DONEZTEBEKO ELIZATEA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia Etxebarri city council
Balmaseda
Balmaseda is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country. Balmaseda is the capital city of the comarca of Enkarterri, in western Biscay and serves an important role in the province thanks to its proximity to the capital city of Bilbao and the regions of Cantabria and Castile and León, its toponomy comes from a union of the Spanish word val, meaning "valley", the Basque mahatseta, which means "vineyard", Val-Mahatseta would mean "valley of vineyards", which would evolve into Valmaseda in use in Spanish, Balmaseda, following the orthographic rules of the Basque language. The lands in which Balmaseda is located had been inhabited since centuries before its official foundation, with evidence of ancient pastoral activity. In the eastern end of the municipality there is a Roman milestone which belonged to the Pisorica-Flaviobriga road, which connected the present-day cities of Castro Urdiales and Herrera de Pisuerga; this road is believed to have been in use at least since the 1st Century, as the milestone is dated 238.
Though the town's old bridge could have been built there are not any evidences of its existence until some centuries later. The territory in which today is located Balmaseda belonged to the valley of Mena, included in the Kingdom of Castile in the 9th Century. Although it was conquered by the Kingdom of Navarre, the Castilians recovered it in 1175, moment when the king handed over the territory to Lope Sánchez de Mena, Lord of Bortedo and kin of the Lord of Biscay. Lope Sánchez founded the village on the same location of a previous settlement, in one of the banks of the river Kadagua, granting the village the fuero of Logroño. Among the reasons for the foundation of the village were its protected location between mountains and the existence of a commercial road connecting to Castile and Biscay; the village was incorporated to the lands of the Lord of Biscay when the Lord Lope Díaz II de Haro married the daughter of Alfonso IX, thus obtaining the territories of Balmaseda and Orduña. In 1234, Lope confirmed the municipal charter establishing Balmaseda as a town.
However, this first union with Biscay would not last much. In 1274 it was given back to Biscay to be once more handed back to Castile in 1288 after the murder of Lope Díaz III in Alfaro following the orders of Sancho IV. Diego López IV would once more reinstate Balmaseda into Biscay. In 1312, after the disputes between Biscay and Castile, Balmaseda was once more reintegrated into the kingdom; the town would be incorporated again in Biscay in 1388. On 5 November 1808 the city was the theatre of the Battle of Valmaseda, part of the Peninsular War, between French and Spanish armies; the municipality of Balmaseda is located in mountainous territory, in southwestern Biscay and 30 kilometers away from the province capital city Bilbao. Balmaseda is located in the comarca of Enkarterri and it borders Artzentales, in the west, with Sopuerta in the north and Zalla in the east. In the south Balmaseda borders with the autonomous community of León, it is surrounded by the Ordunte mountains. Nature park of Valley of Karrantza with Pozalagua Cave situated not far from Balmaseda.
The main river of the municipality is the river Kadagua, which forms the narrow valley where the town is located. The river is joined by several minor streams as the Acebo, Coliza and Angostura; the river Kadagua has had historical importance for the town and still today has an important symbolism, as it is present on the town's coat of arms. Amongst city's landmarks are Puente Viejo Roman Bridge, Ayuntmiento-Town Hall, Cathedral Iglesia de San Severino, Church of Sagrado Corazón, Iglesia San Juan, Iglesia de Santa Clara with museum, Palacio Horcasitas, Balmaseda historical museum, La Encartada beret factory museum, modern court of justice. Balmaseda carries Medieval market in San Severino festival on 23 October. Balmaseda has Sociedad Deportiva Balmaseda Fútbol Club with home La Baluga camp stadium. Balmaseda is connected with the rest of the province of Enkarterri region and the capital city of Bilbao by the BI-636 road and by the narrow-gauge railway Feve and by bus. Pedro Hurtado de Mendoza, an important Jesuit author of theological and philosophical textbooks.
Tifariti, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic San Severino Marche, Italy Balmaceda, Chile Balmaceda, an alternate spelling found in Spanish surnames. BALMASEDA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia
Abadiño
Abadiño is a town located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the north of Spain, about 35 km from the provincial capital of Bilbao. The area of the municipality is about 36 km2 and according to the 2014 census, the population is 7504; the original name of the town was Abadiano Celayeta. Abadiño is located on the N-636 road a few kilometres to the southeast of Durango in the province of Biscay in northern Spain; the town is in a broad valley formed by the Urkiola Rivers. Livestock farming is practised here on the flat valley floor, to the south the land rises to form the Urkiola mountain range; the lower slopes are clad in natural woodland of oak and pine, the higher parts consist of limestone peaks with gullies and caves and are included in the Urkiola Natural Park. The town of Abadiño has a number of historic buildings; the Muntsaratz Tower is a good example of ninth century Renaissance architecture. The Sanctuary of San Antonio is a church inside the Urkiola Natural Park.
The Astola Manor House was one of the political and administrative centres of the Merindad de Durango region. It was purchased by the Merindad in 1576 and was subsequently used as a courthouse, as the residency of the local lieutenant, as the local gaol and as the district archive; the Gederiaga Complex includes the Chapel of San Salvador. This was an ancient "oath chapel" in which general assemblies of the authorities of Merindad de Durango valley were held. There are mountain bike riding and horse riding facilities near the town. There are the main one being that of the patron saint, Santa Domingo; this takes place on May 12th and the succeeding days and there is much music and dancing in the town. The Festival of San Blas takes place on February 3rd, at this event there is a livestock fair. Another festival, that of San Antonio, is celebrated on June 13th near his sanctuary in Urkiola. Athletic Bilbao players Ustaritz Aldekoaotalora and Ander Iturraspe were born in Abadiño. ABADIÑO in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia Abadiño Official Website In Basque and Spanish
Amorebieta-Etxano
Amorebieta-Etxano known as Zornotza, is a town and municipality located in Biscay in the Basque Country, an Autonomous Community in northern Spain. At the time of the 2014 census, the population of the municipality was 18,579, with 16,907 inhabitants living in Amorebieta; the mayor is Andoni Agirrebeitia. Amorebieta-Etxano is an inland town in the comarca of Duranguesado in the province of Biscay in northern Spain, it is about 25 km east of Bilbao and close to the European route E70 which runs along the north coast of Spain. It is located in the valley of the River Ibaizabal. Amorebieta-Etxano has a rich historical heritage; the municipality of Amorebieta-Etxano came into being on 26 January 1951 as the result of a merger between Amorebieta and Etxano, two communities in the historic administrative district of Merindad de Zornotza. The other parts of the district were merged into the neighbouring municipality of Muxika; the new coat of arms shows the union between Etxano. In the 2014 census, Amorebieta had a population of 16,907 while that of Etxano was 221.
The town is divided into several districts. The church of Santa María de la Asunción is in the centre of Amorebieta on the banks of the Ibaizaba, it is a large Renaissance building started in 1555 and opened for worship in 1608 and is noted for its altarpiece. Another Renaissance church is the Parroquia de San Juan Bautista de Larrea; this dates back to 1647, in 1704 it was given to the Carmelite Order to found a convent. In San Antonio is the hermitage of San Miguel de Dudea, nearby is the Neoclassical López Palace. A branch of the international company Tecnalia Research & Innovation is located here in the Parque Empresarial Boroa where the firm employs 1500 people. Xabier Etxeita Jon Aurtenetxe Beñat Intxausti, a professional cyclist. Amorebieta Etxano, Official web page Amorebieta-Etxano in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa – Auñamendi Encyclopedia
Sopela
Sopela known as Sopelana, is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. The town is 820 hectares in area, located in the comarca Mungialdea on the north east side of Bilbao and due east of the Nervión river estuary. In the municipality, other former towns like Larrabasterra are now merged to make Sopela larger; the population is 11,185 people. Thriving expansion of the town puts this number to well over 13,000 people; the area of Sopela is situated among green beaches. This makes it a attractive suburb of Bilbao, with a short commute of 35 minutes on the metro. Since the late 1980s, the population of Sopelana has continued to grow and has 13.000 citizens. During the industrialization the citizens moved to the urban centres that were more crowded but from that decade on this tendency has reversed. Sopelana has become a residential municipality well communicated with bigger municipalities and with Bilbao, it was at first an eminently turistic destination, where the properties and house owners only moved to spend summer holidays but it has turned into a residential town.
At the moment, it is one of the village's with the highest per capita income of the state. Sopela belongs to a region called Uribe, composed by 15 municipalities that are: Arrieta, Barrika, Gámiz-Fica, Gatika, Górliz, Lemoniz, Maruri-Jatabe, Meñaka, Plencia and Urduliz, it borders with the Cantabrian sea in the north, what makes Sopelana have spectacular cliffs and beaches. The municipality of Barrika is located to the Northeast, Getxo to the Northwest, Urduliz to the Southeast and Berango to the Southwest. Sopela's oceanic climate is different from the one of southern Spain. Harsh winds tend to pick up speed along the coast and precipitation is common all year round. Northern winds bring the winter temperature to just above the freezing point, but summers are comfortable from late May to early September. Snow is common three days each winter on average; the summer climate is warm and the temperatures are moderated by the constant sea breezes. Sopela is known for three beaches Atxabiribil and Arrietara.
They have good conditions for surfers. A fourth beach, Meñakoz is of less appeal for sun worshippers and more for the surfer crowd due to the pebble bed ground. Sopela is the host of regional surf competitions as conditions are adequate for surfing in its beaches. A less famous, but internationally known event, is the yearly nude race on Barinatxe beach in the fall. Barinatxe is a clothing optional beach. Another special place in Sopela is a small creek called Ikatza known only by its citizens; the town is connected to the main transport arteries with two metro stations on the Line 1 of Bilbao Metro and highways. Larrabasterra station is located to the far south of Sopela in Larrabasterra, while Sopela station is at the center of the municipality. Several bus routes connect Sopela to Bilbao and nearby towns, like Barrika, Plentzia and Armintza; these buses are: Bizkaibus: A3451: Las Arenas - Arminza. A3531: Sopelana - Munguía - Gatica. A2166: Uribe Kosta - UPV/EHUThere is a local bus service which connects the town centre with the beaches, it joins the following neighbourhoods: Larrabasterra / Arrietara / Beaches / Sopelmar / Ugeraga / Moreaga / Centre.
The patron saint of the town is San Pedro or Saint Peter and his feast days are the most representative ones. They are held at the end of the month of June and they last up to a week and a half; the big day is the 29th. The patroness of the neighbourhood of Larrabasterra is Virgen del Carmen and her feast days are held in mid-July; the big day is the 16th. There are no large shopping malls in Sopela; the shopping centres are located a short car ride away in nearby towns like Getxo, Barakaldo or Bilbao. However, the centre of Sopela is full of small shops with a wide variety of goods. Along the main road to West Sopela, there are several youth oriented shops and surf shops open all year round. SOPELA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia Official website
