Villanueva de Arce / Hiriberri Artzibar

In Villanueva de Arce / Hiriberri Artzibar, the landscape unfolds between meadows and woodland, as if time had found a place to settle without haste. Villanueva de Arce / Hiriberri Artzibar nestles on the hillside, with its stone houses adapted to the terrain and open to the rhythm of the seasons. In this enclave, one of the northernmost in the valley , the identity of the hamlet is evident in the solidity of its walls and in the continuity of those who have inhabited these lands since the Middle Ages. Amidst the murmur of the River Urrobi and the memory of ancient ironworks, everything in Villanueva de Arce / Hiriberri Artzibar seems to respond to a single pulse: that of the mountain, where history and daily life intertwine.

Villanueva de Arce / Hiriberri Artzibar general information

The documented origins of Villanueva de Arce / Hiriberri Artzibar date back to 1366, when six houses were already recorded. Since then, its development has been linked to a traditional economy based on cereal farming and livestock rearing, within a royal domain system. The character of the place is also reflected in historical episodes such as that of 1823, when, in the midst of a storm, the locals worked together to clear a path for the artillery, highlighting the constant relationship between the harshness of the environment and community life. The location of Villanueva de Arce / Hiriberri Artzibar, exposed to the north and south winds, creates a harsh climate that has historically shaped life in the area.

What to see in Villanueva de Arce / Hiriberri Artzibar?

A tour of the village offers an insight into the relationship between rural life and its natural surroundings.  

• Church of San Andrés: This medieval building, renovated in the 19th century, houses high-quality 17th-century wooden reliefs, originally from an old Franciscan convent in Pamplona. Its single-nave structure also features a Romanesque-style high altarpiece and a baptismal font made from materials recycled from an old pulpit.
• Washing house: Recently restored through community work or ‘auzolan’, this thatched-roof building bears witness to the traditional uses of water in the daily lives of the village’s women.
• Stone wayside shrine: Located on the road towards Aoiz, this Renaissance monument features a Christ carved in bas-relief, reflecting the religious sentiment of the region.
• Villanueva de Arce beech forest: A natural spot accessible via a footpath that features its own microclimate and leads to a waterfall, blending the sound of water into the forest atmosphere.