Hiriberri / Villanueva de Aezkoa

Under the constant presence of Mount Berrendi, stone does not merely build: it breathes and remembers. In Hiriberri (or Villanueva de Aezkoa in Spanish), the cobbled streets retain an ancient cadence, a leisurely rhythm where every step seems to converse with those who inhabited this place before us. The atmosphere is revealed in the stillness of its streets and in the persistence of a craft tradition that still carves boxwood with patience and precision. It is a land where wood and ashlar intertwine in silence, where ancient granaries watch over the passing of time and where life flows unhurriedly, sustained by the mountain and its tales.

Hiriberri general information

The village lies at an altitude of 925 metres, nestled in the heart of the Aezkoa Valley . Hiriberri is first mentioned in 14th-century records as a royal estate, a status that has left its mark on the village’s organisation and collective memory. The identity of the place is shaped by high-altitude livestock farming and the use of the forest, with over 800 hectares of beech woodland enveloping the landscape. The language, Basque in its Aezkoan variant, remains here an invisible thread linking generations, whilst woodcraft — spoons, utensils, small works — keeps alive the patient craftsmanship of those who once worked these same materials. Today, Hiriberri retains a tranquil way of life, where every house, every doorway and every path forms part of a balance that withstands the passage of time.

What to see in Hiriberri?

In Hiriberri, every element of the landscape holds a story waiting to be slowly discovered.  

• The four granaries: Structures declared Assets of Cultural Interest (Reka, Portal, Elizondo and Jauki) that bear witness to ancient agricultural practices, raised on stone pillars to protect the grain.
• Church of San Salvador: A 14th-century Gothic building housing a remarkable 17th-century Romanesque high altarpiece, the work of Juan de Gazteluzar and Ambrosio de Bengoetxea.
• Casa Arrese (Arrese Etxea): Known as the ‘Casa del Indiano’, it is the most monumental building in the valley, notable for its imposing ashlar façade and arcades.
• “The Age of the Witches”: It is said that in ancient times Hiriberri was inhabited by witches, and the area where they are said to have lived, on Mount Petxuberro, is still visited today. From this spot, you can see most of the villages in the Valle de Aezkoa .