Arizkun

Here, history is told through the solidity of the manor houses and the silence that still pervades the Bozate neighbourhood. Arizkun is a region where ashlar architecture coexists with the legacy of ancient lineages and the traces of those who, for centuries, shaped wood and stone on the valley’s edges. 

Arizkun is the place where the elegance of Baroque convents coexists with legends of ancient lineages and the strength of carved wood. This is the place where the past can be felt in every stone of the Palace of Ursúa and where contemporary art pays homage to mythology in the Santxotena Museum.

Arizkun general information

Arizkun has historically been one of the most significant towns in the Baztan Valley. Its social and economic development is reflected in a town centre of stately buildings and streets that hold the secret of centuries of coexistence.

Arizkun’s identity is inextricably linked to the Bozate neighbourhood. From the 14th century onwards, this corner of the valley was a refuge for the Agotes, a community historically discriminated against but renowned for their great talent as carpenters and musicians. Although they did not achieve equal rights until 1817, today their legacy is a fundamental part of the town’s culture . Arizkun is an example of how time has managed to heal the wounds of the past, creating a present rich in art and tradition.

What to see in Arizkun?

Arizkun is a showcase of civil, religious and ethnographic heritage that leaves no one indifferent.

• Ursúa Palace (Bozate district): Within the walls of this medieval tower lies the memory of an ancient lineage and a shadow that time has not erased. Here, the legend of the lady lingers in the silence of the courtyard, leaving behind a mystery that can still be sensed amongst the stones.
• Santxotena Park-Museum: In Bozate, the artist Xabier Santxotena has created a magical open-air space. Through his wooden sculptures, Basque mythology comes to life: lamias, mikeldis and totemic figures inhabit this walking trail.  
• Convent of Our Lady of the Angels: This imposing 18th-century building is a gift from Juan Bautista de Iturralde, a native of Arizkun and Superintendent of the Royal Treasury in Madrid. Its Baroque façade, featuring a colossal coat-of-arm , dominates the view alongside his parents’ ancestral home.  
• Gamioxarrea Cider Press: A recently restored 18th-century ethnographic treasure. This Baroque cider press comes to life every autumn during the Kirikoketa festival, organised by the Jo ala Jo association. Watching cider being made the old-fashioned way, to the rhythm of wooden mallets striking the press, is to connect with the senses of old Navarre.