Way of St. James
Igartza, from the Middle Ages onwards, was a strategic spot as the three most important routes of the period passed through here: the Way of St. James, the Royal Road and the one that linked the valley of the river Urola. The train arrived with industrialization and this is when Igartza’s decline began.
At the present time, one of these routes still regularly attracts travellers: the Way of St. James. The 3rd stage passes through Igartza and goes from Tolosa to Zegama. In addition, the hostel housed in the Igartza mill provides pilgrims with the possibility of resting and staying overnight in this historic place.
Contact for the pilgrims’ hostel: 747 48 67 70 (from 15:00 to 22:00).
Iron Route in the Pyrenees
In general, the Basque Country has an impressive iron-making heritage, as the iron worked by the Basques had great prestige. In Igartza traces have been preserved of the 18th century ironworks. In this way, the Monumental Complex forms part of the Iron Route in the Pyrenees. This symbolic route links the industrial heritage on both sides of the Pyrenees (The Basque Country, Aquitaine, Ariège, Andorra and Catalonia), and shares the local iron-making culture.
Routes around Beasain
Beasain is an open small town that spreads over the Murumendi hillside and alongside the N1 road. The neighbourhoods that are scattered around the surrounding mountains tell us about the relationship of the town with nature and the rural world; furthermore, the Igartza Monumental Complex, the wooden dam and the river Oria evoke a past when iron and the trades of the period played a leading role. Modern Beasain is a town that is like a red-hot forge, and Basque traditions, its cultural heritage, the iron industry, the mountains and sports are its sparks. We mustn’t forget that this is a strategic location, where local and external currents converge, and a resting place for all visitors and passers-by.
Routes around Beasain:
The European industrial heritage route
ERIH - European Route of Industrial Heritage - this is a network connecting and organising the main tourism resources associated with Europe's industrial past; it seeks to bolster European integration through industrial heritage. It now comprises more than 1,750 sites of interest in relation to industrial activity in 47 European countries.
The Basque Country has been a participant in ERIH since 2019 as a Regional Route with 34 industrial resources, among which Igartza. This is because the Igartza Monument Complex still retains its production facilities, mill, forge, and hydraulic infrastructures. For years the Igartza blacksmiths reflected a tradition deeply rooted in Basque society, the production of iron.
https://www.erih.net
