Elburgo/Burgelu – Pilgrim Routes, Churches and Cultural Heritage
File:Burgelu Elburgo 1932-1934 ortoargazkia.jpg
Photo: https://geo.araba.eus/es/centro-de-descargas via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Elburgo/Burgelu lies on a small rise above a plain and is a stopping place for pilgrims on the Álava Alternative Route of the Camino de Santiago, who come from Gipuzkoa through the San Adrian Tunnel.
Routes
Elburgo stood on the ancient Roman road Ab Asturica Burdigalam, which connected Bordeaux with Astorga; in the Middle Ages, part of its route through Álava was used by pilgrims on their way to Compostela and referred to as the Calzada de los romanos.
The GR-10 is one of the various routes in the municipality of Elburgo/Burgelu. The GR-25 runs through the southern part of Elburgo/Burgelu and connects the Llanada Alavesa.
The former route of the Ferrocarril Vasco-Navarro, which connected Estella/Lizarra with Vitoria-Gasteiz, has been restored as a cycle path. Geocaching can be practised in the municipality of Elburgo/Burgelu; there are numerous caches at various locations.
Twenty-five crosses are distributed throughout the municipality of Elburgo/Burgelu. The Ruta de las 3 ermitas combines hiking and cultural heritage. Rural paths connect the various districts of Elburgo/Burgelu; some sections pass through areas of natural and cultural interest.
History
The first documentary mention of Elburgo dates from the 11th century; at that time, the place appears as Burgello.
The Picota, dating from the 16th century, is located outside the fortified area of Elburgo. It was formerly used to carry out sentences and shows that Elburgo once exercised civil and criminal jurisdiction in the surrounding area.
Culture
The Ermita de San Juan de Arrarain dates from the 12th century and preserves a semicircular Romanesque apse made of ashlar stone. It is the last surviving testimony of the former high-medieval village of Arrarain.
San Juan de Arrarain is one of the four hermitages identified by the municipality of Elburgo/Burgelu and is located in Elburgo.
The Iglesia de San Pedro replaced an earlier Romanesque church and has an elongated hall plan with tercelet vaults. It stands at the highest point of the rise on which Elburgo is located.
La Bolera is located next to the apse of the church in the centre of Elburgo.
The Iglesia de San Martín de Tours in Gazeta is a 13th-century church with Romanesque and transitional Gothic elements. Its late-Romanesque portal has a pointed arch and five archivolts with plant, geometric, and anthropomorphic motifs.
Gazeta, with the Iglesia de San Martín de Tours, belonged to the Camino de Santiago via a branch coming from Alegría-Dulantzi, although the main route did not pass through there.
The Iglesia de la Natividad de Nuestra Señora in Añua is a 13th-century church with medieval features and a Romanesque style. Its apse is considered one of the richest examples of medieval art in the Llanada Alavesa.
Districts and Buildings
Further exploration of the municipality also includes Argómaniz.
The parish church of San Andrés in Argómaniz dates from the 16th century and has a Latin-cross floor plan. Its main altar is a Baroque work from the 17th century with rich plant decoration.
The Palacio de los Larrea in Argómaniz has a Renaissance façade decorated with the coat of arms of the Larrea family.
For the higher-level travel overview: Álava.
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