Banca (; eu, Banka)BANKA

Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia Pic d'Anie (Basque Auñamendi) is a mountain of the Pyrenees in France, located close to the Spanish border. It is high. The mountain boasts an almost perfect pyramidal shape and is surrounded by the spectacular karst landscape of. ''Larra'', i ...

is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

of the

Pyrénées-Atlantiques Pyrénées-Atlantiques (; Gascon Occitan: ''Pirenèus Atlantics''; eu, Pirinio Atlantiarrak or ) is a department in the southwest corner of France and of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Pyrenees mountain range and the Atlant ...

department in the

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by t ...

region of south-western

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It is part of the former province of

Lower Navarre Lower Navarre ( eu, Nafarroa Beherea/Baxenabarre; Gascon/Bearnese: ''Navarra Baisha''; french: Basse-Navarre ; es, Baja Navarra) is a traditional region of the present-day French ''département'' of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. It corresponds to the ...

. Banca is part of ''Pays Quint'' (''Kintoa'' in

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

or ''

Quinto Real The ''quinto real'' or the quinto del rey, the "King's fifth", was a 20% tax established in 1504 that Spain levied on the mining of precious metals. The tax was a major source of revenue for the Spanish monarchy. In 1723 the tax was reduced to 10%. ...

'' in

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

), an area of pasture area which belongs to

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

but is cultivated by French farmers. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Bankars''.Euskaltzaindia - Academy of the Basque language

Geography

Banca is located in the Aldudes valley on the banks of the ''Nive des Aldudes'' some 15 km south-west of

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (literally "Saint John t theFoot of hePass"; eu, Donibane Garazi; es, San Juan Pie de Puerto) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It is close to Ostabat in the Pyrenean footh ...

. The western and eastern borders of the commune are the national frontier between

and

. Access to the commune is by the D948 road from

Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry (; eu, Baigorri)BAIGORRI
Aldudes Aldudes (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France. It is located in the former province of Lower Navarre. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Aldulais'' or ''Al ...

. There are no crossing points in the commune to Spain. The commune is mainly rugged alpine pastures.

Hydrography

The ''Nive des Aldudes'' flows from Aldudes in the south-west, gathering tributaries such as the ''Antchignoko Erreka'', the ''Ruisseau d'Hayra'', the ''Latcharrako Erreka'', and the ''Belechiko Erreka'' on the northern border, and continues north-east to join the

Nive The Nive (; eu, Errobi; oc, Niva) is a French river that flows through the French Basque Country. It is a left tributary of the river Adour. It is long. The river's source in the Pyrenees in Lower Navarre. The river Nive was made famous by t ...

south of

Saint-Martin-d'Arrossa Saint-Martin-d'Arrossa (; eu, Arrosa)ARROSA

* Chaochako Kaskoa * Chasperro * Chinta * Chiriatéguia * Chuhy * Churritcheguy * Cocagaïchto * Colomio * Curutcheko Kaskoa * Curutchetako Borda * Dartépé * Dominé * Ehuntzaroy (pass, 971m) * Elhorrieta (pass, 831m) * Elichaldia * Erdizako Borda * Erreguéréa * Errekaénéa * Erremerreka * Errolako Ithurria * Esculeguy * Etcheberria * Eyhérazaïna * Eyhérazaïnako Borda> * Fagaldénéa * Galant * Gathuly Béhéréa * Gathulyko Ithurria * Gnafarénéa * Gnimigno * Golko * Golomio Ithurria * Goroldi * Gorria * Gosnaisto * Guichonaenea * Guildeizar * Guzmuztiko Borda * Halzéta * Harguintoa * Harrigaitzeko Kaskoa * Harrigorri * Harzia * Hauzay * Hayra * Hayra (forest) * Hayra Sar * Hortz Zorrotz (rocks) * Ilharragorria * Ilharragorrikomalda * Indiano * Iramebako Borda * Iramehaca * Irausta * Ithurrialde Béhéréa * Ithurrialde Garaya * Jaureguibeheréa * Joanes Ederra * Jokutako Lépoa * Katchaenéa * Labaquia * Lechéa * Legarzuko Borda * Legaza (mill) * Lehaltzarte * Lekayoénéa * Lepeder * Lepobelcha * Lezetako Lépoa * Lindus * Manechénéa * Maneixhandy * Marieyhéra * Maristola Ithurria * Maritcho * Marmaroa * Martinbelchénéa * Matchin Ithurria * Meharroztegui (pass, 738m) * Mehatzé (pass, 1133m) * Menta * Minchendo * Mizpira (pass, 832m) * Mizparachar (pass, 1139m) * Moroinborda * Mutikoénéa * Musquet * Ohakoa * Olapideko Etchola * Olhaberrieta * Ondarlako Ithurria * Orkastia * Otsachar * Otsahartéa * Otsarrapeguy * Otsartéa * Oyhançaro * Pago Zelhay (pass, 888m) * Peilloénéa * Peilloeneko Borda * Petanénéa * Petechaénéa * Premonio * Tchipitcho Etchola * Teylary or Nahala (pass, 932m) * Tipitto * Todoria * Turitchia * Uhaillen Borda * Uhaldéa * Urbaztarréa * Urlabéhéréa * Urlagaraya * Urritzolahandiko Etchola * Uzkalépoa * Zaku * Zakuko Borda * Zubiarin * Zubiarinzahar * Zumazoko

Climate

Toponymy

The commune name in

is ''Banka''. For John-Baptiste Orpustan, the origin of the name ''Banca'' can have two interpretations: one lent from the Spanish ''banco'' designating the bench on which money was exchanged (which gave the French word ''banque'' which gave the English ''bank'') or two from ''bancs de pierre'' (stone benches). The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune. Sources: *Orpustan: Jean-Baptiste Orpustan,
'' New Basque Toponymy''
ref name="Orpustan">Jean-Baptiste Orpustan,
''New Basque Toponymy''
Presses universitaires de Bordeaux, 2006, , p. 165 *Cassini:

Cassini Map The Cassini Map or Academy's Map is the first topographic and geometric map made of the Kingdom of France as a whole. It was compiled by the Cassini family, mainly César-François Cassini (Cassini III) and his son Jean-Dominique Cassini (Ca ...

from 1750 *Ldh/EHESS/Cassini: *

Raymond Raymond is a male given name. It was borrowed into English from French (older French spellings were Reimund and Raimund, whereas the modern English and French spellings are identical). It originated as the Germanic ᚱᚨᚷᛁᚾᛗᚢᚾᛞ ( ...

:''
''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
1863, on the page numbers indicated in the table. ''Topographic Dictionary of the Department of Basses-Pyrenees''
Paul Raymond, Imprimerie nationale, 1863, Digitised from Lyon Public Library 15 June 2011

History

Banca owes its origin to the revival in the 18th century of the copper mines which had operated in ancient times. Banca was known as ''Le Fonderie'' (The Foundry) until the 19th century" and, under the ''

Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for "ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...

'', it was a hamlet or district under the parish of

Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry (; eu, Baigorri)BAIGORRI
blast furnace A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally pig iron, but also others such as lead or copper. ''Blast'' refers to the combustion air being "forced" or supplied above atmospheric ...

in good condition. The first armed action by

Iparretarrak Iparretarrak (meaning "''the Northerners''" in Basque), commonly known as IK, was a Basque nationalist paramilitary organization operating in the Northern Basque Country, founded in 1973 by Philippe Bidart and other Basque activists. To date, 19 ...

took place in Banca on 11 December 1973.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Inter-communality

The commune is part of four inter-communal structures: * the

Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque The communauté d'agglomération du Pays Basque ( eu, Euskal Hirigune Elkargoa), is the ''communauté d'agglomération'', an intercommunal structure, centred on the cities of Bayonne and Biarritz. It is located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques depa ...

; * the inter-communal association for the development and management of the slaughterhouse in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port; * the association to support Basque culture. * the joint association for the drainage basin of the Nive;

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 346 inhabitants.

Economy

The copper/silver mines and the associated smelter reached their peak in the middle of the 18th century and the forge, with its blast furnace, was in operation from 1828 to 1861. Economic activity is now mainly agricultural. The town is part of the

Appellation d'origine contrôlée An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

(AOC) zone of

Ossau-iraty Ossau-Iraty is an Occitan- Basque cheese made from sheep milk. Origin Ossau-Iraty or Esquirrou is produced in south-western France, in the Northern Basque Country and in Béarn. Its name reflects its geographical location, the Ossau Valley in B ...

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments: *The Banca Mine on D948 (19th century). These remains are at the northern entrance of the village including a blast furnace. The supply canal is fed by the waters of the Nive captured upstream and turn a wheel of a blower machine which injected air at the base of the blast furnace through two nozzles. The adjacent building, still dominated by the canal, housed the forge fires and hammers to make cast iron and a splitting mill for splitting iron bars. *Houses and Farms (19th century) *The Redoubt of Lindus (1813).Ministry of Culture, Mérimée This redoubt was used during the Franco-Spanish War 1813–1814. *The Gorria Farmhouse (now a Stable) (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée *The Gixonaenea Farmhouse (1808)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée *The Xangala Farmhouse (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée

Religious heritage

*The Parish Church of Saint Peter (19th century) is registered as an historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée

Environmental heritage

*The Petechanea Gallery (0.1 hectares) is one of the locations of the regional conservatory of natural areas of the Pyrenees. *Mountain Peaks **Mount Harrigorry 806 m **Munhogain 853 m **Otsamunho 901 m **Errola 908 m **Abraku 1003 m **Ichtauz 1024 m **Antchola 1119 m **Mehatzé 1209 m **Lindus 1220 m **Mendimotcha 1224 m **Aurigna 1278 m

Facilities

Education

The commune has a primary school.

Sports

There is a Fronton traversed by a road.

Bibliography

*''Mines and Metallurgical Establishments of Banca'', dir. P. Machot, J&D, Biarritz, Izpegi, Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry, 1995, 306 p. *Pierre Machot and Gilles Parent, "Mines and Metallurgy in the Valley of Baïgorry", in ''The Valley of Baïgorry'', Éditions Izpegi, reprinted in 2002 *Gilles Parent, "The handiwork of the Copper Foundry of Banca in the 18th century" in ''Revue d'Histoire Industrielle des Pyrénées Occidentales'', No. 2, 2007, p. 143–222, Éditions Izpegi

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banca, Pyrenees-Atlantiques Communes of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Lower Navarre