Buruntza (441 m) is a minor mountain in the
Basque Country (Spain) 12 km south of
San Sebastian. Several towns lie at its foot, namely
Andoain (S),
Lasarte-Oria
Lasarte-Oria is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national ...
(N) and
Urnieta
Urnieta is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.
References
External links
Official WebsiteInformation available in Spanish and Basque.
URNIETA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa ...
(E). The mountain stretches out in a north-east to south-west disposition, starting at the pass of ''Azkorte'' (hermitage) on to a quarry at the southern end, by the neighbourhood ''Buruntza'' in
Andoain. The mountain rises opposite to
Adarra (E) and stands in turn to the east of the mountain Andatza (562 m). There is a big cross fixed at the summit.
The
Oria River
The 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 (Atlantic basin) and the main river of the province Gipuzkoa in volume (25.6 m3/s), length (7 ...
flows north along Buruntza's north-west face over a close valley run by the N-1 E-5 E-80 main road on both banks of the river. Actually, this tract was a race-car circuit between 1923 and 1935, its sinuous layout bearing witness to that origin. On the south-eastern side (
Urnieta
Urnieta is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.
References
External links
Official WebsiteInformation available in Spanish and Basque.
URNIETA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa ...
,
Andoain), the outer reaches of the
Urumea
The Urumea ( or , stemming from Basque "ur" 'water' + "me(he)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 (Atlantic basin) and is best kno ...
valley extend out south-east as a corridor, leaving the prominence of Buruntza towering right in the middle as a perfect vantage point over all the surroundings.
Access points and trails
The main access point lies at the chapel ''Azkorte'' (210 m). A fence pass must be crossed to gradually gain height through a trail heading roughly south-east. The trail is well signposted. The access to the summit by the south-eastern face (Andoain) has been altered on account of the expansion of a quarry. A mud track departing from the quarry cuts across the north-eastern face at middle height, with the trail turning into a concrete road on its final stage sloping down to the fringes of the neighborhood Oria (Lasarte-Oria).
Landscape and quarries
Buruntza is at the southernmost tip of a minor rigdeline where Urgonian limestone outcrops stand out at different spots all along. Geological features like this might have rendered all the area attractive to stone extraction, the mount being dotted all around with quarries widening ever more, in a way that even the current ''Azkorte'' hermitage shifted out of its former place to its present location of the ''Burundain'' pass on account of a stone extraction site being established (1973). Also, a second hermitage revered in
Andoain, ''San Roke'', stands not far from the edge of the southernmost quarry. As for vegetation,
Monterey pine
''Pinus radiata'' ( syn. ''Pinus insignis''), the Monterey pine, insignis pine or radiata pine, is a species of pine native to the Central Coast of California and Mexico ( Guadalupe Island and Cedros island). It is an evergreen conifer in the f ...
(''Pinus radiata'') for logging prevails, especially on the steep north-east face; willow trails behind in number. Incidentally, legend has it, mythological character ''Sanson'' hurled a stone against the people of
Arano with a willow-made sling, but slipping on a dong the stone fell short, so originating the present-day ridge of
Aballarri (meaning 'stone of the sling').
Archeological findings and history
Buruntza holds a relevant archeological site on the slopes near the summit. It consists of an enclosed settlement of the
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...
(first millennium BC), where remains of cereal (wheat, oats, barley) and leguminous plants (broad bean, pea) have been found, among other vestiges. This data have provided the basis for a newly released and breakthrough theory establishing the ancient boundaries between the
Vascones
The Vascones were a pre-Roman tribe who, on the arrival of the Romans in the 1st century, inhabited a territory that spanned between the upper course of the Ebro river and the southern basin of the western Pyrenees, a region that coincides wi ...
and the
Varduli
The Varduli were a pre-Ancient Rome, Roman tribe settled in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, in what today is the eastern region of the autonomous community of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country and western Navarre, in n ...
at the east of the mount (in
Leitzaran).
[{{cite web , url = http://www.diariovasco.com/20071005/cultura/leitzaran-frontera-edad-hierro-20071005.html , title = Leitzaran: la frontera de la Edad de Hierro , publisher = DV , accessdate = 2008-05-25 Site in Spanish]
At the beginning of the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
(1936), a fiery battle between Republicans and Francoists took place in Buruntza. Republicans set up a defence-line, the mount being of strategical importance to keep in check
Lasarte-Oria
Lasarte-Oria is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national ...
,
Andoain and the communication lines between
San Sebastian and
Bilbao
)
, motto =
, image_map =
, mapsize = 275 px
, map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao
, pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe
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. Its slopes were heavily entrenched by Republicans, so it took three days of fighting to Francoist troops to take over the summit.
Events
* At the beginning of May, the Holy Cross or ''Santa Kruzak'' festivity is held at the site of the ''Azkorte'' hermitage on a yearly basis. After the mass, punters of the event engage in traditional music, dance, snacks, drinking and eventually a popular meal.
References
Mountains of the Basque Country (autonomous community)