Ziordia

On the unassuming border where the Burunda River winds its way towards Álava and Gipuzkoa, Ziordia stands as a place of slow passage. The stone holds the valley’s memory, and the River Arakil continues its course as if simply following an ancient command that no one has ever written down.

Here, traditional architecture watches from large stone-built houses that seem to have learnt to keep silent, whilst the Altzania and Urbasa mountain ranges define the horizon as if guarding it. It is not a place that reveals itself all at once, but in layers: in the calm of the landscape, in the daily lives of its inhabitants and in the quiet continuity of its identity in the Sakana.

Ziordia general information

Ziordia lies at an altitude of 553 metres on the western edge of Navarre, forming an essential part of the Sakana region. Its municipal area stretches along the left bank of the River Arakil, between the silhouette of the Tres Mugas peak to the north and the Urbasa mountain range to the south. Although Ziordia was linked to the ancient town of Burunda centuries ago, the town was established as an independent municipality in 1846.

The area retains traces dating from prehistoric times to documented events of the Middle Ages, such as the donation of toll revenues made by John II in 1462. It also preserves the memory of the witchcraft trials recorded between 1575 and 1576, which form part of the social history of the region. Today, Ziordia belongs to the Basque-speaking area of Navarre, where the Basque language remains an active part of the cultural landscape.  

What to see in Ziordia?

A tour of Ziordia reveals layers of history where the sacred, the civil and the ancestral coexist, creating a journey where each element refers to a different era in the valley’s history.

• Church of the Assumption: Built in stone between the 16th and 18th centuries, its interior preserves three unpolychromed Churrigueresque altarpieces, where the meticulous carving on the pew and the tabernacle stands out.  
• Chapel of Nuestra Señora del Milagro: A small chapel in the town centre housing a Renaissance altarpiece from the second half of the 16th century and a statue of the Virgin and Child.  
• Coat-of-arms-adorned mansions: Traditional houses in La Burunda with thick ashlar walls and coats of arms reflecting the history of local families.  
• Prehistoric heritage: A short distance from the town centre lie the Apoeta burial mound and the Ziordia dolmen, part of the Aratz-Alsasua megalithic complex.  
• The Altzania and Urbasa mountain ranges: Natural areas surrounding the municipality, featuring beech forests and limestone formations. The peak of Tres Mugas (1,118 m) marks the point where Navarre, Gipuzkoa and Álava meet.