Usurbil
Encyclopedia
Usurbil is a town and region located in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
, in the North of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
It lies in an area well known for its sagardotegi
Sagardotegi
A sagardotegi is a type of cider house found in the Basque Country. Modern sagardotegis can broadly be described as a cross between a steakhouse and a cider house....
ak (cider houses) and the area adjacent to the river for its eels.
Boroughs
- At the centre of the town are the old boroughs of Elizalde, Kaxkoa, Kaleberri usually simply called Usurbil. Most of the population is concentrated here.
- Aginaga is an area of the town associated with eelEelEels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
fishing and on the road from Usurbil to OrioOrioOrio is a fishing town located in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community, northern Spain, with the town nucleus lying on the river Oria, roughly one mile away from its mouth by the Bay of Biscay....
. It has some 450 inhabitants and forms its own parish. - Atxegalde district is located next to the motorway. It has around 500 inhabitants.
- Txikierdi is a small settlement near Lasarte-OriaLasarte-OriaLasarte-Oria is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:* Information available in Spanish and Basque.* Information available in Spanish...
. It is surrounded by industrial units and forms the Urbil Industrial Estate. - Kalezar is a borough near the centre along a street leading onto the hill that dominates the valley of the OriaOria RiverThe Oria is a river in the Basque Country at the north of the Iberian Peninsula. It's one of a series of Basque rivers flowing into the Bay of Biscay and the main river of the province Gipuzkoa in volume , length and basin , the main feature of these rivers aligned south to north being their...
. It is the location of a medieval settlement and its name translates as "the old street". It has about 650 inhabitants. - Urdaiaga (or San Esteban) is located on the western edge of the town. Its traditional name is of Urdaiaga but is more commonly known by the name of the church. It has 175 inhabitants.
- Santu Enea is located on the western bank of the Oria river. It has slightly over 500 inhabitants.
- Zubieta is a district split between the municipalities of Donostia and Usurbil. Zubieta is on the western bank of the OriaOria-Places:Italy* Oria, Apulia, a town in the Apulia region, Province of Brindisi* Oria, Lombardy, a village in the municipality of Valsolda, in the Province of ComoSpain* Oria, Spain, a municipality in the Province of Almería, Andalusia...
river and is an enclave of Donostia between Usurbil and Lasarte-OriaLasarte-OriaLasarte-Oria is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:* Information available in Spanish and Basque.* Information available in Spanish...
. - Atxega Alde
- Santu-Enea
Neighbouring areas
To the north Usurbil borders Donostia's Igeldo and Añorga boroughs, to the east Lasarte-Oria and Zubieta in the southeast. In the south it borders ZizurkilZizurkil
Zizurkil is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:* Information available in Spanish and Basque.* Information available in Spanish...
and to the west Aia
Aia
Aia is a small village situated on the slopes of Mount Pagoeta in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa, Spain. It is located 30 km to the west of Donostia-San Sebastián and about 10 km inland from the coastal town of Zarautz. Aia is set amongst rolling green hills and lush green forests, and...
and Orio
Orio
Orio is a fishing town located in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community, northern Spain, with the town nucleus lying on the river Oria, roughly one mile away from its mouth by the Bay of Biscay....
. Donostia, the capital of the region is about 11 km away, Lasarte-Oria 2 km and Orio 10 km.
Climate
History
The oldest traces of human presence of the area are on the mountain called Andatza which has numerous neolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
tumuli
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
and menhir
Menhir
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
s.
It is commonly believed that what is currently Usurbil formerly formed part of the administrative region of Hernani
Hernani
Hernani may refer to:*Hernani José da Rosa, a Brazilian football defender*Hernani , a Romantic drama by Victor Hugo*Ernani, a Romantic opera based on Hugo's play*Hernani, Eastern Samar, a municipality in Eastern Samar, Philippines...
which extended into the area between the river Urumea
Urumea
The Urumea a" 'thin') is a river in the Basque Country at the north of the Iberian Peninsula. It's one of a series of Basque rivers flowing into the Bay of Biscay and best known for being the river flowing to the sea on the city of San Sebastian...
and Oria.
The oldest inhabited area appears to have been on the left bank of the Urumea, broadly corresponding to the modern Urdaiaga. In a document dating back to the 13th century there is mention of a Monasterio de San Esteban which has by now disappeared but forms the foundation of the present day hermitage of San Esteban. Next to the monastery the tower-house of Urdaiaga was constructed in the 14th century which gave the area its name.
During the 12th century an important tract of land in Usurbil was donated to a monastery of Orreaga
Roncesvalles
Roncesvalles is a small village and municipality in Navarre, northern Spain. It is situated on the small river Urrobi at an altitude of some 900 metres in the Pyrenees, about 8 kilometres from the French frontier....
in Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
. They remained with the monastery until they were confiscated by Mendizabal in 1836. Following their confiscation the area of Mount Irisasi and Andatza were forested and form one of the best preserved areas of forest in Gipuzkoa even today.
In 1180 King Sancho VI of Navarre
Sancho VI of Navarre
Sancho VI Garcés , called the Wise , was the king of Navarre from 1150 until his death in 1194....
added Usurbil and most of Zubieta into the boroughs of Donostia. At that time the population was living in small scattered settlements which formed the nuclei of modern day Urdaiaga and Aginaga and the parish church was built in its present location. The most powerful family were the Atxegas who owned a tower-house next to a strategic river crossing on the Oria.
This situation remained until 1371 when the Castilian King Henry II of Castile granted the right to the inhabitants of San Salvador to form a new settlement called Belmonte de Usurbil, independent of Donostia. The new settlement was built on a hill some distance away from the Oria river and the parish church to avoid the influence of the Atxega family, leaving the church half way between the new settlement and the Atxega tower-house. The borders continued to shift, Oria originally forming part of Usurbil until 1379 when it became an independent town. The areas on the western bank of the Oria also were not part of the town originally.
Towards the end of the 14th century the borough of Zubieta was given the choice between remaining with Donostia or joining Usurbil. 14 households stayed with Donostia, the remaining 7 joined Usurbil.
The old layout of Belmonte de Usurbil was simple, essentially consisting of two parallel streets. It corresponds well with the modern borough of Kalezar.
In 1486 a fire broke out and destroyed Belmonte de Usurbil completely. As the power of the Atxega family had waned, Belmonte was also less importance and during the 16th century the other boroughs of Aginaga, Urdaiaga, Zubieta and Elizalde began to challenge the privileges held by Belmonte, such as the prohibition of setting up slaughterhouses outside the town walls. Especially Aginaga initiated numerous court cases.
As the old centre declined, new areas developed that would one day become the centre of the town. The borough of Elizalde - Basque
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
for "side of the church" - started out as a small number of houses built against the church walls. As a result of the incessant legal challenges between Aginaga and Belmonte, the town council relocated to Elizalde in 1672 and by the end of the 17th century, Belmonte and Elizalde were already of a similar size.
The changing place names also bear witness to this power shift, with Kaleberri (new street) now contrasting with Belmonte's new name, Kalezar (old street).
In 1826 Usurbil formed a union with neighboring Orio and Zizurkil, the Union of Andatzabea, to pay for a common representative to the Gipuzkoako Batzar Nagusiak or Grand Council of Gipuzkoa.
Economy
The traditional industries of Usurbil were ironwareWrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
, anchor and ship building, making use of the surrounding abundance of woodland. At the shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
s of Mapil in Aginaga ships for the Spanish Navy were built.
Industrialisation
Industrialisation
Industrialization is the process of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one...
arrived in Usurbil in 1934 when a Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
tire factory was built between Usurbil and Hernani, giving work to many locals. Due to the distance Usurbil itself was not majorly affected but Lasarte, which was much closer, changed radically and grew into a town of some 20,000 inhabitants. Despite lower production, the factory continues to be a major employer in the area with some 1700 employees. It also happens to be one of the few factories producing Michelin motorcycle tires worldwide.
A sizeable number of SME's are located in the area too. Important ones are Ingemar, cutters and polishers of marble and granite, Victorio Luzuriaga Usurbil in Txikierdi, a smelter. Both employ some 300 staff each.
Administration
| 2007 | Xabier Mikel Errekondo (EAE-ANV Eusko Abertzale Ekintza Basque Nationalist Action is a Basque nationalist party based in Spain. Founded in 1930, it was the first Basque nationalist political party to exist running on a socialist program. On 16 September 2008, the party was outlawed by the Spanish Supreme Court based on ties with ETA... ) |
| 2003 | Luis María Ormaetxea (EA Eusko Alkartasuna Eusko Alkartasuna is a Basque nationalist political party operating in Spain and France. The Basque language name means Basque Solidarity and abbreviated as EA. The party describes itself as a Basque nationalist, democratic, popular, progressive and non-denominational party... ) |
| 1999 | José Antonio Altuna (EH) |
| 1995 | José Antonio Altuna (HB) |
| 1991 | José Antonio Altuna (HB) |
| 1987 | José Antonio Altuna (HB) |
| 1983 | Martín Larrañaga (EAJ-PNV) |
| 1979 | Andrés Bruño (EAJ-PNV) |
In Usurbil the Basque nationalist parties commonly attract between 75-80% of the votes. These are almost equally divided between the moderate nationalists and the leftist nationalists. After the restoration of democracy in Spain
Spanish transition to democracy
The Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...
, the first two mayors belonged to the EAJ-PNV. When EA
Eusko Alkartasuna
Eusko Alkartasuna is a Basque nationalist political party operating in Spain and France. The Basque language name means Basque Solidarity and abbreviated as EA. The party describes itself as a Basque nationalist, democratic, popular, progressive and non-denominational party...
split away from the EAJ-PNV in 1986, the next three mayorships fell to Herri Batasuna (four, counting EH the successor party from HB) under Jose Antonio Altuna for 16 years. When Herri Batasuna was made illegal, Altuna could not stand for re-election in 2003 and Luis Maria Ormaetxea of EA
Eusko Alkartasuna
Eusko Alkartasuna is a Basque nationalist political party operating in Spain and France. The Basque language name means Basque Solidarity and abbreviated as EA. The party describes itself as a Basque nationalist, democratic, popular, progressive and non-denominational party...
became mayor.
In the last elections for the Basque Government
Basque Government
The Basque Government is the governing body of the Basque Autonomous Community of Spain. The head of this government is the lehendakari or Basque president that is appointed by the Basque Parliament every four years...
in 2005, the Basque nationalist coalition PNV
Basque Nationalist Party
The Basque National Party is the largest and oldest Basque nationalist party. It is currently the largest political party in the Basque Autonomous Community also with a minor presence in Navarre and a marginal one in the French Basque Country...
-EA
Eusko Alkartasuna
Eusko Alkartasuna is a Basque nationalist political party operating in Spain and France. The Basque language name means Basque Solidarity and abbreviated as EA. The party describes itself as a Basque nationalist, democratic, popular, progressive and non-denominational party...
won, taking 39.3% of the vote, followed by the independentist EHAK with 33.3%, PSE-EE/PSOE with 11%; the independentist Aralar
Aralar
Aralar may refer to:*Aralar Range, a mountain range*Aralar Party, a political party...
with 6% and Partido Popular
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
with 5.8%.
Gastronomy
There are two gastronomical products that have given fame to Usurbil: glass eels and ciderCider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
. Glass eels used to be common in most Basque rivers and in the Oria used to come upstream as far as Aginaga, whose inhabitants became expert angula fishers. Angulas de Aguinaga, made with oil and capsicum
Capsicum
Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its species are native to the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years, but they are now also cultivated worldwide, used as spices, vegetables, and medicines - and have become are a key element in...
are famous throughout Spain. Glass eels have become rare as a result of pollution and have pushed up the price considerably.
Sagardoa
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
(cider) is another important product and together with Astigarraga
Astigarraga
Astigarraga is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, in northern Spain. It's famous for its hard cider and the cider houses-External links:* Information available in Spanish and Basque....
and Hernani
Hernani
Hernani may refer to:*Hernani José da Rosa, a Brazilian football defender*Hernani , a Romantic drama by Victor Hugo*Ernani, a Romantic opera based on Hugo's play*Hernani, Eastern Samar, a municipality in Eastern Samar, Philippines...
, it is one of the main cider towns in Gipuzkoa. Cider production hit a low in the 1980s and of the three factories producing sparkling cider or sidra achampañada in the area, only one remains. From 1981 onwards, Usurbil pioneered the Sagardo Eguna (cider day), giving new impetus to the industry so successfully that other towns have take up the idea. Today cider production is on the increase again and so the area sill boasts many traditional and modern sagardotegi
Sagardotegi
A sagardotegi is a type of cider house found in the Basque Country. Modern sagardotegis can broadly be described as a cross between a steakhouse and a cider house....
ak.
Sport
The main sport facility of the town is the Polideportivo Oiardo that was opened in 1990. This multi-purpose centre has capacities for 500 spectators, a covered swimming pool, squash courts, a gym and an outdoor football pitch. Most local sports clubs are based here, for example the Usurbil Kirol Elkartea (Usurbil Sports Club), the Judo Club Usurbil (SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) and karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
clubs and Andatza KKE.
There is also a football stadium, Harane, owned by the city council. The Usurbil Futbol Taldea football team are based here.
More sporting facilities exist at the Ikastola Udarregi school which has a multi-purpose fronton and a concrete track. The Kontseju Zaharra fronton is located in the centre of Usurbil, next to the church. It is a covered fronton with additional tracks for the Basque rural sports
Basque rural sports
Basque rural sports, known as Herri Kirolak in Basque, is the term used for a number of sports competitions rooted in the traditional lifestyles of the Basque people...
. Aginaga and San Esteban-Urdaiaga also have covered pelota pitches. Zubieta has a fronton built for the joko-garbi variant of pelota which is very rare today in Gipuzkoa.
Famous people
- Imanol Agirretxe (1987); footballer for Real SociedadReal SociedadReal Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 September 1909...
- Jose Antonio Artze (1939); writer and musician who with his brother was instrumental in the revitalisation of the txalapartaTxalapartaThe txalaparta is a specialized Basque music device of wood or stone, similar to Romanian toacă. In Basque, zalaparta means "racket", while in the nearby areas of Navarre "txalaparta" has been attested as meaning the trot of the horse, a sense closely related to the sound of the...
- Xabier Bengoetxea; footballer
- Xabier Carbayeda Etxeberria (1966); cyclist and currently sport director of Euskaltel-EuskadiEuskaltel-EuskadiEuskaltel-Euskadi is a professional road bicycle racing team from Spain. The team is commercially sponsored, but also works as an unofficial Basque national team and is partly funded by the Basque Government. Its riders are either from Basque Country, or at least have grown up in the cycling...
- Xabier Mikel Errekondo (1964); international handball player
- Andoni Iraola SagarnaAndoni IraolaAndoni Iraola Sagarna is a Spanish footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao in La Liga, as a defender or midfielder....
(1982); footballer for Athletic BilbaoAthletic BilbaoAthletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions... - David Asensio López (1980); footballer for various teams including Athletic BilbaoAthletic BilbaoAthletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
- Haimar Zubeldia AgirreHaimar ZubeldiaHaimar Zubeldia Agirre is a Spanish professional road racing cyclist who rides for on the UCI ProTour....
(1977); cyclist for Euskaltel-EuskadiEuskaltel-EuskadiEuskaltel-Euskadi is a professional road bicycle racing team from Spain. The team is commercially sponsored, but also works as an unofficial Basque national team and is partly funded by the Basque Government. Its riders are either from Basque Country, or at least have grown up in the cycling...
External links
- Official Website Information available in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and BasqueBasque languageBasque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
. - USURBIL in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa) Information available in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
- A Heavy Band Located in the Basque Usurbil town.SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
- Judo Club Usurbil´s page. SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
- usurbilonline.com - The latest news of Usurbil in the Internet. Information about the weather, movies, jobs, directory of local business and more