Hondarribia (; ; ) is a Spanish town situated on the west shore of the
Bidasoa
__NOTOC__
The Bidasoa (; ; , ) is a river in the Basque Country of northern Spain and southern France that runs largely south to north. Named as such downstream of the village of Oronoz-Mugairi (municipality of Baztan) in the province of Navar ...
river's estuary, in
Gipuzkoa
Gipuzkoa ( , ; ; ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiqu ...
, in the
Basque Autonomous Community
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous com ...
.
The border town is situated on a little promontory facing
Hendaye
Hendaye (; Basque: ''Hendaia'',HENDAIA Jaizkibel providing a hilly backdrop to the town. A road leads northeast from the beach area to
Cape Higuer
The Cape Higuer () is a Cape (geography), cape on the Bay of Biscay standing out at the end of the mountain range Jaizkibel by the France–Spain border in the municipality of Hondarribia ( away from the town centre). The site is home to a lighth ...
, located in this
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
.
The town harbours the San Sebastian Airport, which serves domestic flights. The population as of 2005 is 15,700 inhabitants.
Battles
The battles fought for possession of this fortified stronghold are generally known by the Spanish name for the place (Fuenterrabía).
* Unsuccessful attempts to seize Hondarribia were made by French troops in 1476 and 1503.
* Battle of Fuenterrabía (1521), in which Claude, Duke of Guise distinguished himself, was instigated by Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet, in command of the army of
Navarre
Navarre ( ; ; ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre, is a landlocked foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Autonomous Community, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and New Aquitaine in France. ...
; he occupied the stronghold after the renewal of hostilities. The city was finally reoccupied by
Charles V Charles V may refer to:
Kings and Emperors
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
Others
* Charles V, Duke ...
Louis XIII
Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown.
...
, led by Condé. 27,000 French soldiers besieged the city for two months, firing 16,000 shells into the walled city, leaving only 300 survivors, most of them women and children. The city was virtually destroyed, but nevertheless did not surrender. The Spanish soldiers were successful, and the raising of the siege is celebrated annually on 8 September in a parade, known as '' Alarde''.
* Battle of Fuenterrabía (1719), during the
War of the Quadruple Alliance
The War of the Quadruple Alliance, 1718 to 1720, was a conflict between Spain and a coalition of Austria, Great Britain, France, and Savoy, joined in 1719 by the Dutch Republic. Most of the fighting took place in Sicily and Spain, with minor engag ...
French Revolutionary Army
The French Revolutionary Army () was the French land force that fought the French Revolutionary Wars from 1792 to 1802. In the beginning, the French armies were characterised by their revolutionary fervour, their poor equipment and their great nu ...
took the city by breaching the walls. After they took over the city, they blew up with the help of German engineers the section of wall facing France. The signing of the
Peace of Basel
The Peace of Basel of 1795 consists of three peace treaties involving France during the French Revolution (represented by François de Barthélemy).
*The first was with Prussia (represented by Karl August von Hardenberg) on 5 April;
*The s ...
took place before all the wall was destroyed.
Although Milton, in ''
Paradise Lost
''Paradise Lost'' is an Epic poetry, epic poem in blank verse by the English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The poem concerns the Bible, biblical story of the fall of man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their ex ...
'' associated the
rout
A rout is a Panic, panicked, disorderly and Military discipline, undisciplined withdrawal (military), retreat of troops from a battlefield, following a collapse in a given unit's discipline, command authority, unit cohesion and combat morale ...
of
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...
in 778 with Fontarabia, it is generally understood to have taken place at Roncesvalles.
Sports
The women's basketball team Hondarribia-Irun and the rowing club Hondarribia Arraun Elkartea are the two most prestigious sports clubs in the town. In the last decade, the judo club Ama Guadalupekoa has had a lot of national medals in this discipline.
The Hondarribia-Irun plays in the Spanish women's basketball league since 2003, and it has competed against European teams several times.
Hondarribia has a rowing team called Hondarribia Arraun Elkartea, and its boat is characterized by its green color and its name, "Ama Guadalupekoa".
In 2005 it won La Bandera de la Concha, one of the most prestigious competitions for Basque rowers.
Furthermore, the Vilariño family, which is fully linked to the world of the engine, continues to achieve success at national and European levels.
Hondarribia has its own golf course where Jose Maria Olazabal, one of the best golf players in the world, was raised, and marina, where the Olympic medalist Iker Martinez took his first boat roads.
Leisure
* The construction of a jetty and other ancillary works by the engineer Iribarren, created the beach (hondartza) of Hondarribia that provides a place to enjoy the waters of the bay. In the late twentieth century the beach was partially modified, building on its surroundings a recreational port and a sports center.
* Throughout the year, but especially in the summer months, Arma Plaza Fundazioa (municipal foundation) organizes guided visits to the old town, the port-quarter of the Marina and the Fort of Guadalupe.
* The tourist office also managed by Arma Plaza Fundazioa, located in the Plaza de Armas, incorporates an interpretation center with spaces for audiovisual presentations / temporary exhibitions and souvenirs of the city.
Notable residents
*
Juan de Alcega
Juan de Alcega was a 16th-century tailor and mathematician from Basque country, Spain.
Life and work
Little is known about the life of Juan de Alcega. He was born in the province of Gipuzkoa, probably in the town of Hondarribia.
In 1580, h ...
(16th century), mathematician and tailor known by his book on geometrical tailoring.
*
Jorge Bolet
Jorge Bolet (November 15, 1914October 16, 1990) was a Cuban-born American concert pianist, conductor and teacher. Among his teachers were Leopold Godowsky, and Moriz Rosenthal – the latter a renowned pupil of Franz Liszt.
Life
Bolet was born ...
, legendary American-Cuban pianist
*
José María Olazábal
José María Olazábal Manterola (, ; born 5 February 1966) is a Spanish Basques, Basque professional golfer from the Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country, who has enjoyed success on both the European Tour and the PGA Tour, and has wo ...
famous Spanish golfer, winner of two U.S. Masters titles and regular member of the European Ryder Cup team.
*
Unai Emery
Unai Emery Etxegoien (born 3 November 1971) is a Spanish Association football, football Manager (association football), manager and former player who is the manager of Premier League club Aston Villa F.C., Aston Villa. He is widely regarded as o ...
, manager of Aston Villa, winner of Europa League and the former manager of Villareal, Arsenal, Paris Saint Germain, Sevilla FC, Valencia CF and Spartak Moscow.
*
Íñigo Cervantes
Íñigo Cervantes Huegun García (; born 30 November 1989 in Hondarribia, Gipuzkoa
Gipuzkoa ( , ; ; ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San S ...
File:0017 Placa De Fuenterrauia Fuenterrabia Spanien.jpg, Hand-drawn map of Hondarribia from 1699 by Leonardus de Ferrarys.
File:0018 Placa De Fuenterrauia Fuenterrabia Spanien.jpg, Hand-drawn map of Hondarribia from 1699 by Leonardus de Ferrarys.
File:Hodarribia1.jpg, Medieval map of Hondarribia.
File:Hondarribia grabatua.jpeg, Above Hondarribia with its City Walls, and below French
Hendaye
Hendaye (; Basque: ''Hendaia'',HENDAIA Basque Pelota
Basque pelota (Basque: '' pilota'', Spanish: '' pelota vasca'', French: '' pelote basque'') is the name for a variety of court sports played with a ball using one's hand, a racket, a wooden bat or a basket, against a wall (''frontis or fronto ...
's game under the Hondarribia's City Walls, by Gustave Colin in 1863
File:Fontarabie par Armand Dumaresq Dumaresq (1873).JPG, Hondarribia by Armand-Dumaresq in 1873
File:Fontarabie, embouchure de la Bidassoa (Guipuscoa) - Fonds Ancely - B315556101 A MALBOS 2 017.jpg, Bidassoa confluence in Fontarrabie, in 1843 by Eugène de Malbos
