Ortuella: Mining History, Chapels and Trails

Culture and Mining History

Ortuella is home to an Apold-Fleisner-type siderite furnace. It is the only surviving furnace of its type in the Basque Country. La Orconera is a mining district where several houses from the mining era are still preserved.

The traces of mining are among the visible historical features of Ortuella. The preserved furnace represents the industrial side of the area’s history, while the houses of La Orconera preserve the residential and settlement context of that time. Both sites are located in Ortuella itself and complement each other as different testimonies to the same mining era.

Peñas Negras is the location of Ekoetxea Meatzaldea in Ortuella. The facility is dedicated to environmental information, environmental education and environmental awareness. Ekoetxea Meatzaldea has an open-air museum with restored objects from former mining facilities.

The open-air museum focuses on restored objects from former mining facilities. In this way, the site in Peñas Negras combines remembrance of the industrial past with the themes of environmental information and environmental education. The name Ekoetxea Meatzaldea refers to the site associated with these three areas of activity in Ortuella.

The Ermita de la Magdalena is located in Nocedal, Ortuella. It is a neoclassical chapel from the 19th century. The current building of the Ermita de Santa María Magdalena dates from 1803. The Ermita de San Bernabé de Urioste is associated with the historic Junta de los Tres Concejos del Valle de Somorrostro, which met at this location. The festival in honour of Santa María Magdalena takes place on 22 July.

The chapels are associated with different historical details: the Ermita de la Magdalena in Nocedal is considered a neoclassical building from the 19th century, while the current building of the Ermita de Santa María Magdalena dates from 1803. The Ermita de San Bernabé de Urioste also refers to the historic Junta de los Tres Concejos del Valle de Somorrostro. The festival on 22 July adds a fixed date to this local history.

Trails

The EZK06 Ortuella-Urioste-Bidegorri circular route connects Ortuella town centre with Urioste. The planned “Ortuellako Bira” route was divided into four sections and designed as a circular trail. In total, it covered slightly more than 22 kilometres.

There are therefore two different descriptions of the trails in Ortuella. EZK06 connects the town centre with Urioste. With the “Ortuellako Bira”, the focus is instead on the circular route, its division into four sections and its total length of slightly more than 22 kilometres. These details identify both the places involved and the structure of the route.

Surrounding Area

The Torre de Salazar Museum is located in the surrounding area of Ortuella. The Museo Rialia is also located in the surrounding area of Ortuella. The Edificio Bidearte palace is situated in the surrounding area of Ortuella. The Casa Cisco palace is likewise located in the surrounding area of Ortuella.

The cultural surroundings therefore include two museums and two palaces: Torre de Salazar, Museo Rialia, Edificio Bidearte and Casa Cisco. Each of these places is located in the surrounding area of Ortuella. Their different names preserve the distinction between museums and palaces.

Playa Areeta beach is located in the surrounding area of Ortuella. Ereaga beach is in the same area. Playa Getxo beach is also located in the surrounding area of Ortuella. Playa La Arena beach is likewise located in the surrounding area of Ortuella.

The geographical information for the beaches also remains limited to the surrounding area of Ortuella. These beaches include Playa Areeta, Ereaga, Playa Getxo and Playa La Arena. Thus, the overview covers four different beach names without stating a distance or a specific connection between them.

Anyone looking for a holiday apartment in Ortuella can note the cultural sites, trails and destinations in the surrounding area as different themes for planning their own trip.

For the higher-level travel overview: Bizkaia.

More Destinations

More places in the same destination:

Garai, Ziortza-Bolibar, Portugalete, Valle De Carranza, Balmaseda, Valle De Trápaga, Bakio, Mungia.