Izurtza (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 ...

and officially, 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 ...

''Izurza'') is an

elizate An (), ( es, anteiglesia) is an early form of local government in the Basque Country which was particularly common in Biscay but also existed in the other provinces. The terms (in Standard Basque) and (in Biscayan) literally translate as "chu ...

, town and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

located in the province of

Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. B ...

, in the Basque Country, Spain. Izurtza is part of the ''

comarca A ''comarca'' (, or , or ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, ...

'' of

Durangaldea Durangaldea ( Spanish: ''Duranguesado'') is a comarca of Biscay located in the Basque Country, Spain. It is one of the seven ''eskualdeak/comarcas'' or regions that compose the province of Biscay. The capital city of Durangaldea is Durango. Ge ...

and has a population of 270 inhabitants as of 2010 and according to the

Spanish National Statistics Institute 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, Cana ...

History

As happens with most of the

s, the origins and date of foundation of the town are unknown. According to the local tales, the tower of Etxaburu, which is located on a hill above the town, was built following the orders of the Roman Emperor

Antoninus Pius Antoninus Pius ( Latin: ''Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius''; 19 September 86 – 7 March 161) was Roman emperor from 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. Born into a senatori ...

. The tower was afterwards destroyed by

Henry IV of Castile Henry IV of Castile ( Castilian: ''Enrique IV''; 5 January 1425 – 11 December 1474), King of Castile and León, nicknamed the Impotent, was the last of the weak late-medieval kings of Castile and León. During Henry's reign, the nobles became ...

and built again in the 16th century by Sancho López de Ibargüen. Also on this century the church of the town, named ''San Nicolás Obispo'' was built. Izurtza was part of the ''merindad'' of Durango, and it had voice and right to vote in the Juntas of Guerendiaga, where it occupied the seat number eleven.

Geography

Location

Izurtza is located in the southeastern part of the province of

, northern

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 ...

. It is one of the smallest municipalities of the province by extension. It limits at north and west with Durango, at south with

Mañaria Mañaria (both in Basque and Spanish) is an elizate, town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, Spain. Mañaria is part of the ''comarca'' of Durangaldea and has a population of 459 inhabitants as of 2006 acc ...

and at east with

Abadiño Abadiño ( eu, Abadiño; es, Abadiano) 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 abo ...

. Izurtza is situated between the

Mugarra Mugarra is a peak of Biscay, Basque Country (Spain), 936 m high, belonging to the ''Aramotz'' massif. The ''Aramotz'' massif is in the western limit of the Urkiola range. Mugarra continues the line of the Anboto, Alluitz, Aitz Txiki and Unt ...

and

Untxillaitz {{Infobox mountain , name = Untxillatx , photo = Untzillatx 2.jpg , photo_caption = Mount Untxillatx , elevation_m = 934 , elevation_ref = , prominence_m = 375 , prominence_ref = , map = Spain , map_caption = Location in Spain , map_size ...

mountains and the Mañaria River runs through it. The road BI-623 that connects Durango with

Vitoria-Gasteiz Vitoria-Gasteiz (; ), also alternatively spelled as Vittoria in old English-language sources, is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain. It holds the autonomous community' ...

crosses the town from north to south. Izurtza is made by a small urban core surrounding the BI-623 road and farming houses scattered through the hillsides.

Hydrography

Izurtza is located in a valley formed by the Mañaria river that originates in the hillsides of the mountains and later joins the

Ibaizabal The Ibaizabal (''wide river'' in Basque) is a river that drains southeastern Biscay to the Estuary of Bilbao. It is long from its source at Elorrio to the Nervión, and it passes by the towns of Durango and Amorebieta and joins the Nervión rive ...

river.

Economy

Historically, the economy of the municipality has been linked to the farming exploitations. Since the 20th century, the industrial expansion has caused the primary sector to lose its range as the main economical activity.

Transportation

The transportation is based on road transportation by the BI-623 road, which connects the town with Durango, the capital city of the ''comarca'' of

and only 1,5 km away. The same road by south connects the town with

and

Urkiola Urkiola is a mountain range of the Basque mountains in Biscay near Durango, in the western Basque Country, Spain. The highest mountain in the range is Anboto (1331 m). The range runs from west to east and forms the water divide between the Atl ...

and from there to

Otxandio Otxandio (in Basque and officially, in Spanish ''Ochandiano'') is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque autonomous community, Spain. Otxandio is part of the ''comarca'' of Durangaldea and has a population of 1,26 ...

, Dima and the province of

Álava Álava ( in Spanish) or Araba (), officially Araba/Álava, is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Álava, former medieval Catholic bishopric and now Latin titular see. Its c ...

. In Durango, the road is connected to the National Road N-634 and the highway AP-8 to

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

and Donostia-San Sebastián.

References

External links

IZURTZA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa)
{{authority control Municipalities in Biscay