Gipuzkoa ( US : / ɡ iː ˈ p uː s k oʊ ə / ghee- POO -skoh-ə , Basque: [ɡipus̻ko.a] ; Spanish : Guipúzcoa [ɡiˈpuθkoa] ; French : Guipuscoa ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country . Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián . Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques at the northeast, with the province and autonomous community of Navarre at east, Biscay at west, Álava at southwest and the Bay of Biscay to its north. It is located at the easternmost extreme of the Cantabric Sea , in the Bay of Biscay. It has 66 kilometres (41 miles) of coast land.
35-742: Aretxabaleta is a town in the province of Gipuzkoa , in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country , northern Spain . It is located on the Bergara road, almost adjacent to its larger northern neighbor, the city of Arrasate, and the smaller Eskoriatza to the south. In the past, the Basque name "Aretxabaleta" was commonly used, both in Spanish and in English with the Spanish spelling, Arechavaleta . The local government ( ayuntamiento ) decided to officially change
70-668: A Catholic province, its patron saints are the Society of Jesus ' Ignatius of Loyola , a native of this province born in the neighborhood of Loyola ( Azpeitia ), and Our Lady of Arantzazu . The region has produced many famous Basque athletes for example: Jose Maria Olazabal (golfer), José Ángel Iribar , Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso (footballers), Abraham Olano and Domingo Perurena (cyclists), Edurne Pasaban and Alberto Iñurrategi (mountaineers), Iñaki Urdangarin (handball player), Maite Zúñiga (runner) and Paulino Uzcudun (boxer). Professional tennis player Garbiñe Muguruza 's father
105-485: A deal about the definitive layout was struck. In January 2010, following a scheme drawn up by the regional government of Gipuzkoa to improve provisions for the ever-increasing road traffic, the Maltzaga-Urbina AP-1 motorway stretch leading to Gasteiz was completed, providing likewise access to the industrial areas of Arrasate and Bergara , the gateway to Álava by village Landa. AP-1 and N-1 E-5 are connected by
140-774: A highway east to west from Bergara and Beasain . European traffic to south of Spain avoids Donostia 's metropolitan area by means of the southern outer road ring. The AVE high-speed rail is currently under construction, with an Y-type layout and links to the SNCF network in Hendaia (NE), Vitoria (SE), Bilbao (W) and Pamplona (S) to be completed by 2022. Contractors were appointed, works are in place although past schedule, while strong opposition (ecologists, Basque leftist nationalists,...) and serious financial tensions made its future uncertain. The only airport in Gipuzkoa serving just domestic flights
175-795: A hydrography defined by rivers of short length, although large and regular; The main ones are the Bidasoa, the Oyarzun, the Urumea, the Oria, the Urola and the Deva. Their agricultural utility, as a consequence of the rainfall, is minimal, although they have been the basis of an industry that has ended up contaminating its waters. The predominant vegetation, also conditioned by the climate, is the boreal forest, with deciduous species that alternate with meadows. The region's communication layout
210-499: A more secular slant are sometimes held to their summits. Some renowned mountains are Aiako Harria , Hernio , Txindoki , Aizkorri and Izarraitz , amongst others. The Aralar Natural Park is a conservation area on the border of Gipuzkoa and Navarre in the Aralar Range . The rivers of Gipuzkoa are distinctly different from other Bay of Biscay rivers. They arise in the hilly Basque inland landscape ( Basque Mountains ), flow in
245-457: A narrow strip extending east from the hamlet Otzaurte ( Zegama ) and the tunnel of San Adrian , the province drains its waters to the Atlantic basin. The historical population is given in the following chart: Gipuzkoa has an oceanic climate , characterized by its low variation in temperature, with cool summers, moderate winters and abundant rain throughout the year. The climate promotes
280-602: A population of 720,592 inhabitants (2018), from which more than half live in the Donostia-San Sebastián metropolitan area . Apart from the capital, other important cities are Irun , Errenteria , Zarautz , Mondragón , Eibar , Hondarribia , Oñati , Tolosa , Beasain and Pasaia . Gipuzkoa is the province of the Basque Country in which the Basque language is the most extensively used since 49.1% of its population spoke Basque in 2006. The first recorded name of
315-509: A quarter of whom live in the capital, San Sebastián . Other important towns are Irun , Errenteria , Zarautz , Arrasate , Oñati with an old university, Eibar , Tolosa which was the provincial capital for a short time, Beasain , Pasaia , the main port and Hondarribia , an old fort town across from the French Atlantic coast. Gipuzkoa is hilly and green linking mountain and sea, and heavily populated with numerous urban nuclei that dot
350-475: A south- north direction, forming close, narrow valleys before joining the ocean. The rivers extend for a short length with only a small fluctuation in the volume of water thanks to the stable rainfall all year round, and they show an abrupt drop between origin and mouth as far as the length of the river is concerned. From west to east the rivers are the Deba , Urola , Oria , Urumea , Oiartzun and Bidasoa . Except for
385-754: Is a regular venue of the hand-pelota professional circuit competitions the Bare-handed Pelota First League , the Bare-handed Pelota First League Doubles and the Cuatro y Medio Euskadi Championship . Since 2009, the city has hosted an annual stage finish in the Tour of the Basque Country , usually after the riders have climbed the Alto de Arrate . Before 2009, this was a traditional finish in
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#1732869596833420-399: Is also a native of Gipuzkoa. Eibar Eibar ( Basque : Eibar , Spanish : Éibar ) is a city and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa , in the Autonomous Community of Euskadi . It is the capital of the eskualde / comarca of Debabarrena . Eibar has 27,138 inhabitants ( Eustat , 2018). Its chief industry is metal manufacturing, and the city has been known since
455-417: Is apparent, including traditional dances and singing, bertsolaritza , trikiti and txistu music, baserris dotting the rural landscape, town festivals, and its signature heavy sculptures (stone, steel, iron) from the industrial tradition, all blending with the latest Basque, Spanish and international pop culture events and design trends centred in major urban areas ( Donostia , Tolosa, etc.). Traditionally
490-522: Is in step with its geographical features, with the main lines of infrastructure along a north -south axis up to recent times along the rivers heading to the ocean. Accordingly, the inland Way of St. James , i.e. the Tunnel Route penetrated the province via Irun and turned south-west along the Oria River towards the provincial limits at the tunnel of San Adrian. This stretch was in operation up to 1765 when
525-571: Is located on the Bilbao - San Sebastián narrow gauge railway line. Trains operated by Euskotren run frequently and regularly to Bilbao-Matiko station and Donostia-Amara station . Services are more frequent in the Ermua -Eibar- Elgoibar section. There are five stations in Eibar, from west to east: Unibertsitatea-Eibar, Amaña-Eibar, Ardantza-Eibar, Eibar and Azitain-Eibar. The Gipuzkoa Faculty of Engineering of
560-533: Is the San Sebastian Airport located in Hondarribia , while the air transportation needs are usually served by the nearby Bilbao and Biarritz airports. Gipuzkera , a dialect of the Basque language spoken in most of the region, shows a considerable vitality and holds a prominent position among other dialects. A 2021 survey found that 51.8% of the population spoke Basque. The Basque cultural element
595-713: Is the spelling most frequently used by the Spanish-language media in the Basque Country . It is also the spelling used in the Basque version of the Spanish constitution and in the Basque version of the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country . Gipuzkoa is also the only official spelling approved for the historical territory by the Juntas Generales of the province. Guipúzcoa is the spelling in Spanish, and it has been determined by
630-452: Is traversed by the river Ego, which is a tributary of the Deba . Apart from the urban area, the municipality consists of five rural neighbourhoods: Otaola-Kinarraga, Aginaga, Arrate, Mandiola and Gorosta. The city was chartered by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1346, receiving the name of Villanueva de San Andrés de Heybar . The feudal families that dominated the territory engaged in the War of
665-644: The 2020–21 season . The team plays at the Ipurua Municipal Stadium . The women's section of SD Eibar was granted promotion to the Primera División in the 2019–20 season . After two seasons in the top division, it was relegated to Primera Federación in the 2021–22 season . The team plays at the Unbe Sports Complex . The Astelena fronton , nicknamed the Cathedral of Basque Hand-pelota ,
700-676: The Association of Spanish Language Academies as being the only correct use outside official Spanish documents in which the Basque spelling is mandatory. It is also the Spanish spelling used in the Spanish version of the Constitution and in the Spanish version of the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country. At 1,980 km (764 sq mi) Gipuzkoa is the smallest province in Spain . The province has 88 municipalities and 709,607 inhabitants (2011),
735-465: The Spanish Civil War , Eibar was practically destroyed by Italian bombers aiding the spaniard national faszists . The subsequent rebuilding brought significant industrial development and a demographic increase, as Eibar's population increased to nearly 40,000 within a few years. Due to the lack of space for expansion, several factories moved to Durangaldea and Álava . The industrial crisis in
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#1732869596833770-460: The University of the Basque Country has a campus in Eibar. The campus offers an undergraduate program in renewable energy engineering. The Escuela de Armería, founded in 1913, is the oldest vocational training school in Spain. Eibar is home to SD Eibar , who earned promotion to La Liga in the 2013-14 season . After seven seasons in the top division, it was relegated to Segunda División in
805-543: The 16th century for the manufacture of armaments, particularly finely engraved small arms . It was also the home of Serveta scooters. It is home to the SD Eibar football team. Eibar lies at an altitude of 121m above sea level, in the west of the province of Gipuzkoa, very close to Biscay . Eibar has an oceanic climate . The town lies in a narrow valley in a mountainous area, with mountains like Karakate , Kalamua and Akondia being between 700 and 800 metres tall. Eibar
840-611: The 1980s also caused Eibar to lose a great part of its population. At the beginning of the 21st century, Eibar's economy is based on industry and services. Eibar is traversed by the AP-8 motorway connecting Bilbao and the French border , and the N-634 road running parallel to it. The AP-1 motorway connects Eibar and Vitoria-Gasteiz . AP-8 and AP-1 meet at the Maltzaga motorway junction located in
875-566: The Bands . Eibar, like the rest of settlements in the valley, had an industry based on finery forges and arms manufacturing. In 1766, Eibar was engaged in a social revolt known as the Machinada , and years later, in 1794, it was attacked by the French, who destroyed the town. In the 19th century, industrialisation transformed the systems of production in the city and spawned a powerful social movement. After
910-566: The Royal Road moved to the western Deba Valley. A minor St. James route crossed Gipuzkoa east to west along the coast. Currently, the main road cutting through Gipuzkoa largely follows that layout, i.e. the N-1 E-5 from Irun to Donostia and on to Altsasu all along the Oria River for the most part (gateway to Navarre through the pass of Etxegarate). Also, the major Irun-Madrid railway runs close to
945-700: The coast from east to west, while it proves impractical for long distance on the grounds of its tortuous layout and as it serves small towns. The railway network reaches the border town Hendaia before it changes to SNCF . Within the Donostialdea region, the San Sebastián Metro provides service. The stretch of the A-15 motorway serving Gipuzkoa and Pamplona opened in 1995 embroiled in controversy under protest and an attack campaign led by ecologists, Basque leftist nationalists and eventually ETA. Conflict resolved after
980-409: The east of Eibar. Regular and frequent bus services under Lurraldebus [ eu ] connect Eibar to neighbouring towns, San Sebastián , Vitoria-Gasteiz and Bilbao Airport . BizkaiBus provides regular and frequent bus services to and from Bilbao. ALSA runs a daily service to and from Madrid-Barajas Airport and Madrid . Eibar also has an urban bus service called Udalbus. Eibar
1015-444: The growth of lush vegetation. The area is windy for most of the year with those from the north-northwest bringing significant moisture from the ocean. Rainfall is abundant due to the wind direction and hilly region of the province, with rainfall ranging between 1200 and 1700 mm per year. Cloud cover is also high. The climate is oceanic, with few thermal fluctuations and abundant rainfall (1400 mm per year). The rainfall and relief have
1050-485: The province was Ipuscoa in a document from the year 1025. During the following years, and in various documents, several similar names appear, such as Ipuzcoa , Ipuçcha , Ipuzka , among others. The full etymology the word Gipuzkoa has not been fully ascertained, but links have been made with the Basque word Giputz , containing the root ip- which is related to the word ipar (north), ipurdi (back) and ipuin (tale). According to this, ipuzko (one of
1085-699: The rest of Gipuzkoa sided with the French in 1793 during the French Revolutionary Wars , Eibar temporarily voted to join Biscay . In the Carlist Wars , Eibar sided with the Liberals. The labour movement and socialism became particularly strong in Eibar. In 1931, it was the first city in Spain to proclaim the Second Spanish Republic ; in recognition it was given the title of "Very Exemplary City" . In
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1120-571: The river up to its very origin on the slopes of Aizkorri at train stop Otzaurte in Zegama . By 1973 engineering works for the Bilbao-Behobia A-8 E-70 motorway had been completed, with the new road cutting across the valleys east to west and turning into the main axis between Donostia and Bilbao, besides enabling heavy load traffic to access the west and south of Spain as a toll road. The regional railway network Euskotren Trena also follows along
1155-516: The several first known denominations) might refer to something "to the north" or "in the north". Gipuzkoa is the Basque spelling recommended by the Royal Academy of the Basque Language , and it is commonly used in official documents in that language. The Basque spelling is also mandatory in official texts from the various Spanish public administrations, even in documents written in Spanish. It
1190-427: The spelling to the Basque "Aretxabaleta" on June 4, 1979. Their decision was authorized by Spanish central government on March 3, 1981. This article about a location in the Basque Country, Spain, is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Gipuzkoa With a total area of 1,980 square kilometres (760 square miles), Gipuzkoa is the smallest province of Spain . The province has 89 municipalities and
1225-423: The whole territory. The conspicuous presence of hills and rugged terrain has added to a special leaning towards hiking , nature and mountains on the part of Gipuzkoans. Some mountains have an emblematic or iconic significance in the local tradition, their summits being topped with crosses, memorials and mountaineer postboxes. In addition, pilgrimages which have gradually lost their former religious zeal and taken on
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