Zalla is a town and
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' ...
located in the province of
Biscay
Biscay ( ; ; ), is a province of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Autonomous Community, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the Bay of Biscay, eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilb ...
, in the
Autonomous Community
The autonomous communities () are the first-level administrative divisions of Spain, created in accordance with the Spanish Constitution of 1978, with the aim of guaranteeing limited autonomy to the nationalities and regions that make up Sp ...
of the
Basque Country, northern
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, 24 kilometers to the southwest of
Bilbao
Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the Provinces of Spain, province of Biscay and in the Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the List o ...
. The river
Cadagua
The Cadagua or Kadagua River drains the Biscayan area of Encartaciones (), from the Castilian valley of Mena to Barakaldo and Bilbao, where it forms the border between these municipalities and ends at the Estuary of Bilbao. Another important ...
runs through the city. According to the 2019 census, it has 8,447 inhabitants.
Popular culture
The Zallense people are known for their popular culture and especially for their
mythology
Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...
. In Zalla, superstitions and beliefs in evil supernatural beings, sorcerers and
witchcraft
Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
were widespread.
The hermitage of San Pedro Zariquete was a pilgrimage center against the evil eye and against demons. Thousands of devotees who believed themselves possessed by evil spirits in search of the corresponding exorcism passed through the year. The rite was to go to the chapel on the day of the saint on a path (while throwing handfuls of salt), and return on the other, so that the evil spirits did not re-enter the disemboweled person.
Notable people
*
José de Urrutia y de las Casas
José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ).
In French, the name ''José'', pronounced ...
: military, cartographer and engineer (s. XVIII).
References
External links
ZALLA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa)
Municipalities in Biscay
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