PLACE: Bergara, a Monumental Town (Gipuzkoa)

Bergara is a monumental town in the centre of Gipuzkoa, surrounded by green mountains and located on the river Deba. In spite of the eminent industrial activity, it houses numerous historical and artistic monuments that bear witness to its magnificent heritage with its fervent commercial activity.

It was founded in 1268 by King Alfonso X el Sabio, who named it the Charter of Vitoria and its lands have been inhabited since the Bronze Age, as shown by the different megalithic archaeological sites found in the surrounding area. Its strategic location between the interior and the coast, the newly found iron industry, as well as the regular markets that are held here, made this town very prosperous, with the subsequent building of many palaces and mansions such as the Casa Arostegi (16th Century), the Casa Arrese (16th Century), the Casa Jáuregui (16th Century), the Casa Agirrebeña or the Casa Irizar (17th Century), famous for being the place in which the generals Maroto and Espartero ratified the Bergara Agreement in 1839, which saw an end to the first Carlist War.

The visitor must also pay a visit to the gothic Santa María de Oxirondo Parish Church, or the Pedro de Ariznoa Parish Church, situated in the old part, with its astonishing silver altarpiece. And for those travellers who enjoy visiting peaceful landscapes, scattered with white Basque mountain houses, Bergara offers interesting routes to the different hamlets, which are strongly recommended for their picturesque countryside: Angiozar, Basalgo, Ubera, San Juan, Elosua, etc.

Finally, when speaking of Bergara, we must not forget to mention the famous “Rellenos” and “Tostones” cakes, delicacies that can be acquired in any of the many cake shops found in the town.