Pact of San Sebastián

The Beach of La Concha (Basque: Kontxa Hondartza [kontʃa ondarts̻a]; Spanish: Playa de La Concha [ˈplaʝa ðe la ˈkontʃa], "cone shell beach") is a crescent shaped urban seaboard of the city of San Sebastián located at the Bay of La Concha in the Basque Country, in northern Spain. Its name “Concha” is given upon its remarkably regular shape. The scenic setting in the Bay of La Concha and the 19th century elegance of fashionable seaside resorts have made the site very popular, as it is frequently cited as one of the most beautiful and the most famous urban beaches in Europe. Léon Degrelle, a Belgian politician and one of the most notable Nazi collaborators during World War II, made a water landing at La Concha in May 1945 to escape Allied repercussion. He would go into exile in the country until his death in 1994. In addition, the beach of La Concha is referenced in Ernest Hemingway's classic "The Sun Also Rises"; the main character Jake Barnes briefly swims and dives in the Beach of La Concha at the end. It is a sandy beach and shallow substrate, in which the tide fluctuation greatly affects the area available for use. It can be considered an urban beach in widespread use.

The City Council of San Sebastián (Basque: Donostiako Udala, Spanish: Ayuntamiento de San Sebastián) is the institution that governs the Basque city of San Sebastián (Spain). Its premises are located in the former casino of the city next to the Bay of La Concha.

The 1965 UCI Road World Championships took place from 2-5 September 1965 in San Sebastián, Spain. In the same period, the 1965 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were also organized in San Sebastián.

The 1997 UCI Road World Championships took place in San Sebastián, Spain, between October 7 and October 12, 1997. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women, men under 23, junior men and junior women. In 2002 UCI sued Festina soigneur Willy Voet for defamation over claims in his book Breaking the Chain that the UCI and Hein Verbruggen had allegedly been involved in some sort of coverup of use of Lidocaine and Laurent Brochard. In 2004 the UCI won the defamation case, and in 2006 won the appeal.

Donostialdea is one of the eight regions of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Autonomous Community, corresponding to the basin of the lower Urumea River, along with a strip of basin corresponding to the Oria River, the region borrowing its name from Donostia-San Sebastián, the capital city of Gipuzkoa in Spain. The region comprises eleven municipalities extending in an area of 305.72 km2 (see below, data released in 2006). It borders in the east with the region or subcomarca of Oarsoaldea, on the south with Leitzaldea or Norte de Aralar in Spanish (Navarre), on the west with Urola Kosta and on the north with the Bay of Biscay. The area is served by the San Sebastián Metro, part of the Euskotren Trena network operated by Euskotren.

San Sebastian, officially known by the bilingual name Donostia / San Sebastián (Basque: [doˈnos̺ti.a], Spanish: [san seβasˈtjan]), is a city and municipality located in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. It lies on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, 20 km (12 miles) from the France–Spain border. The capital city of the province of Gipuzkoa, the municipality's population is 188,102 as of 2021, with its metropolitan area reaching 436,500 in 2010. Locals call themselves donostiarra (singular), both in Spanish and Basque. It is also a part of Basque Eurocity Bayonne-San Sebastián. The economic activities in the city are dominated by the service sector, with an emphasis on commerce and tourism, as San Sebastian has long been well-known as a tourist destination. Despite the city's small size, events such as the San Sebastián International Film Festival and the San Sebastian Jazz Festival have given it an international dimension. San Sebastian, along with Wrocław, Poland, was the European Capital of Culture in 2016.

Urgull (Gascon etymology for 'pride') is a hill by the ocean sitting at the heart of the Basque city of San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain. The hill (123 m at its highest point) shapes along with Mount Ulia and Igeldo the city's coastline relief, standing at the northern end of a peninsula formerly linked to mainland by a spit of sand between the river Urumea and the Bay of La Concha (nowadays a built-up area making up the city centre). The hill became a defense point since the early ages of the city foundation in the 12th century, but the walls and the military structure were reinforced especially after the modern state boundaries took shape in the 16th century. The hill is topped by a stronghold (headquarters, barracks and warehouses), the Mota Castle, but it had a chapel and a conspicuous 12 metre-long sculpture of Jesus Christ added in 1950, now towering over the bay. The hill (as well as the city) was a hotspot for military operations, like the ones of the Siege of San Sebastián (1813) and the assaults of 1823, 1836 and 1876 (Carlist Wars). The hill lost its military interest on account of the city's newly acquired tourist resort status and was sold to the city council in 1924. Urgull shows nowadays a tree-covered surface for the most part, picturesque military structures reminiscent of other times and pleasant promenades with outstanding views over the bay and the city. The rooms of the stronghold at the hill top accommodate a small history museum, part of the major San Telmo Museoa located at the south-eastern access of the hill.

La Mota Castle (Castillo de la Mota, Castillo de Santa Cruz de la Mota or Castillo del Santo Christo de la Mota) is an old fortress strategically located on the hilltop of Mount Urgull (Monte Orgullo), in San Sebastian, Spain. The city itself was built at the foot of Mount Urgull, a hill (mota) at the end of a peninsula. Apart from its location, the castle's primary defences were its thick walls (with access at three points, including to the keep, using drawbridges) and, over time, its integration with the city's overall fortifications. Official documents often refer only to the main buildings of the castle itself but sometimes also include the whole of Mount Urgull when referring to the castle. Much of the current structure of the castle dates from between 1863 and 1866, and further restoration work was carried out in 1965. The castle was first declared a monument of archtectural and artistic interest in 1925, and since then has been subjected different levels of protection, the latest being declared a Monumento Históricoartístico de Carácter Nacional (national monument) in 1984.

The Basilica of Saint Mary of Coro (Basque: Koruko Andre Mariaren basilika, Spanish: Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Coro) is a baroque Roman Catholic parish church and minor basilica completed in 1774. It is located in the "Parte Vieja" (Old Town) of the city of San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain.

La Concha Bay is a small bay situated on the Spanish coast that separates the city of the San Sebastián from the Cantabrian Sea. The name "La Concha" means "The Shell" as in Seashell in Spanish, referring to the general shape of the bay. The bay is home to La Concha Beach, Ondarreta Beach, and Santa Clara Island.

San Telmo Museoa (English: San Telmo Museum, or STM) is a museum of the Basque society located in Donostia-San Sebastián, addressing old and contemporary Basque culture, arts and history in a European, global context. It moved to its current location in 1932, Zuloaga plaza in the old town, at the foot of the hill Urgull. It occupies a former Dominican monastery complemented by a 21st-century extension. San Telmo is presented as a museum and, at the same time, as a place to disseminate knowledge and create thought; it is an instrument to understand the present and build the future from encounters with the past and with our roots. In 2011, a major makeover of its facilities took place by adding an extension to the convent and reshaping its facilities along the lines of its new conceptual approach as a museum of the Basque society and citizenship. The museum received a Special Mention in the 2013 best European museum contest organized annually by the Museum Forum.

Santa Clara Island (Spanish: Isla de Santa Clara; Basque: Santa Klara uhartea) is an island located in San Sebastian, Spain, in the middle of the bay of Donostia. It is located between the two most important mountains of the city, Urgull and Igueldo. It measures 400 metres (1,300 feet) across, and rises to a height of 48 metres (157 feet), with steep sides. The island has a small beach which only appears with low tide. There is a small bar and a small port. Despite the small size of the island, the beach has a lifeguard service because of its popularity in the summer. The concrete pier of Santa Clara is served to Donostia by boat, running every 30 minutes. The island has an uninhabited lighthouse.