Basque Mountains

Aizkorri or Aitzgorri (pronounced [aisˈkori], meaning in Basque 'bare stone', literally 'red stone') is a massif, the highest one of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain) with 1,551 m AMSL at its highest point (peak Aitxuri, meaning 'white stone'). The massif is formed by a crest of limestone summits aligned north-west to south-east all in a row at the south of the province of Gipuzkoa, namely Artzanburu, Andreaitz, Arbelaitz (1,513 m), Iraule (1,511 m), Aitxuri, Aketegi (1,549 m) and Aizkorri (1,528 m). Despite its slightly lower height, this summit is the most popular one. The Aizkorri massif is one of the most conspicuous geological formations on the Basque Mountains range. The mountain range is delimited at either end by the Biozkornia and San Adrian passes. On the one end the massif stretches west to the Aloña massif, on the other one to the Altzania massif (highest summit Aratz). The major Madrid-Irun railway cuts its way through the northern steep slopes of the mountain range, with two train stops, i.e. Otzaurte and Zegama Apeadero hardly operating any longer.

The San Adrian tunnel or Lizarrate is a natural cave carved by water erosion in the rock (called Lizarrate, arguably stemming from "leize arrate", 'the stone gate of the cave') with an opening on either side north and south; it also holds a hermitage inside. The tunnel provides a natural passage dividing the provinces of Gipuzkoa and Álava/Araba (the actual borderline locating at the Alto de la Horca). It is a point of interest on the Basque pilgrimage route of the Way of St. James. The Spanish-Basque linguistic boundary of the twentieth century was established in this area, the next village south, Zalduondo, having been predominantly Spanish speaking during that period. Nowadays many hikers cross the tunnel in order to gain access to the nearby peaks, forests and grazing fields, namely Aratz, Aizkorri and Urbia.

Aratz is a mountain of the Basque Country in Spain. It is the highest mountain of the Altzania mountain range that is itself a continuation of the Aizkorri massif. It lies in the province of Álava, close to the border with Gipuzkoa. The summit rises to 1,445 metres (4,741 ft), next to the secondary summit of Elurzuloak. The whole area has been part of the Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Park since 2006. A sculpture by Nestor Basterretxea was placed at the summit in 1997 and disappeared in 2001. It was found in 2021 and subsequently re-erected in Araia.

The Urola is a river and valley in Gipuzkoa, Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. The river is only 55 kilometres in length, and runs from headwaters in the Aizkorri Mountains, near the town of Legazpi to its outflow into the Cantabrian Sea at the town of Zumaia on the Bay of Biscay . It forms the border between the municipalities of Zumárraga and Urretxu, and further downriver, it passes through the towns of Azkoitia and Azpeitia. The word urola comes from two basque words Ur and Ola, meaning "water" and "factory" respectively referring to the water mills which have stood in the valley since the Middle Ages.

Zerain is a town and municipality located in the Goierri region of the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, northern Spain.

Mutiloa is a town and municipality located in the Goierri region of the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, northern Spain.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Arantzazu [aˈɾants̻as̻u] is a Franciscan sanctuary located in Oñati, Basque Country, Spain. The shrine is a much appreciated place among Gipuzkoans, with the Virgin of Arantzazu being the sanctuary's namesake and patron saint of the province along with Ignatius of Loyola. The place benefits from the highland silence and peaceful atmosphere of the Aizkorri mountain range along with a good road infrastructure, so the place is frequently visited by devotees and regional and foreign tourists alike. It is located in the site where presumably the Virgin of Arantzazu appeared to the shepherd Rodrigo de Balanzategui in 1468. Legend has it the figure of the Virgin was in a thorn-bush, and his exclamation "Arantzan zu?!" (Thou, among the thorns?!) gave rise to the name of the place. According to the linguistic explanation, the name stems from "arantza + zu", 'place abounding in hawthorn'. Arantzazu can be found as a female name in Spain in the forms of Arantza and Arantzazu (especially in Biscay and Gipuzkoa) along with Arancha (Spanish spelling) or Arantxa (Basque spelling), much in line with Spanish phonetics. The place is also a starting point for several mountains trails and circuits for hikers that provide access to the meadows of Urbia and on to the mountain range Aizkorri, to the massif Aloña and to the lands south and east of the shrine. All the trails are well signalled. Pope Leo XIII granted a Canonical coronation to the image on 6 June 1886. A variant replica bearing its same title was brought to the Philippines in 1705, featuring a standing posture. Pope Francis granted a Canonical coronation to the Philippine image on 31 May 2017. The image is currently enshrined in the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Arantzazu in San Mateo, Rizal.

Segura is a small town and municipality in the Goierri region of the province of Gipuzkoa in the autonomous community of the Basque Country in northern Spain.

Goierri ("Highland(s)" in Basque; Spanish: Goyerri) or "Basque Highlands" is one of the eight comarcas (Eskualdea in the Basque language) in the Spanish province of Gipuzkoa. It is composed of 18 municipalities, Beasain, Ordizia and Lazkao being the main towns. The main administrative center is Beasain.

Idiazabal is a town and municipality in the Goierri region of the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, northern Spain. The area has given its name to the renowned Idiazabal cheese of the region, one of the best-known products of the Basque cuisine.

Legazpi is a city in the Gipuzkoa province of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, northern Spain. Legazpi is a town of about 9,000 inhabitants located on top of the Urola valley, in Gipuzkoa. Surrounded by mountains, and at the foot of the Aizkorri mountain range, its predominant economic activity is industrial (manufacturing, metal processing, plastics). The rich industrial tradition of Legazpi goes back to the High Middle Ages, when transformation of iron ore was achieved by means of the haizeolak ("ironworks moved by wind"). During the 14th century, wind energy came to be replaced by water in the metal processing with the foundation of several "ironworks propelled by water" (ur 'water' and ola originally 'shack', are the two lexical components of "Urola", a river crossing Legazpi). This industrial tradition had its continuity in modern times, and Legazpi became one of the most important metallurgic centres in the industrialised modern Basque Country. One of the 14th century ironworks (called Mirandaola) has remained in place to date like nowhere else in the Basque Country. It is the heart of a thematic park with an educational and touristy vocation, where traditions and ways of living from the past are shown.

Gabiria is a town and municipality located in the region of Goierri of the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, northern Spain.