Aizpún: Church, Cave and Mountain Landscape

Aizpún lies at the foot of the Sierra de Andía in mountainous terrain crossed by the Udabe. Between ecclesiastical architecture, an archaeological site and water-shaped paths, the village reveals very different facets for planning your own trip.

Culture and Architectural History

The parish church of San Andrés was built at the beginning of the 13th century as a Proto-Gothic church and has been preserved in its entirety and without significant alterations. It has a single nave and a semicircular apse in the Romanesque tradition. The apse contains 14th-century Gothic murals, whose centrepiece is a Last Judgment.

Another building is the Torreón-palacio de Aizpún, a rectangular structure with a gabled roof. Its façade consists of rubble masonry with dressed-stone blocks at the corners. The window on the second upper floor has a slightly pointed double arch and is surrounded by a pentagonal frame.

Archaeology

The Cueva de Itxitxoa, also known as Cueva del Moro, is an archaeological site in the Aizpún area. The cave is also called Cueva de Arteta and lies 40 metres above the Barranco de Arteta on the boundary with the municipality of Ulzurrun. The cave has a horizontal passage more than 150 metres long. Prehistoric stone tools and a numismatic assemblage were documented during explorations.

Water and Trails

The Cascada de Aizpún marks the beginning of the Barranco de Artazul. It can be completely circumnavigated by following the rock walls surrounding it. The route is approximately three kilometres long in total. Rainy days are recommended for visiting the Cascada de Aizpún, when it carries more water.

About 200 metres from Aizpún in the direction of Goñi, there is a small car park for six cars. On the approach to the Cascada de Aizpún, hikers cross a small stream and must then pass through a livestock pasture. The route to the Cascada de Aizpún is described in the Urbasa-Andía Nature Park.

The Barranco de Artazul is a mixed aquatic canyon on the Arakil River in the Aizpún area. The descent through the Barranco de Artazul includes small cascades, jumps, slides and a spectacular final rappel. There are 15 rappelling sections in total, including one with a maximum length of 45 metres; two 50-metre ropes and a full wetsuit are required. The two routes can be distinguished for your own planning based on their approximate length and the equipment specified for the canyon descent.

If you would like to find a holiday apartment in Aizpún, compare your travel dates, the stated apartment size or occupancy and the respective cancellation conditions on the listing pages. These three fields provide an objective basis for organising the different options for your stay.

Other destinations on this page are Zugarramurdi, Ilzarbe, Eslava, Burgui, Arruazu, Abaurrepea / Abaurrea Baja, San Martín De Améscoa and Mélida.

For the higher-level travel overview: Navarra.