Azkoitia

Azkoitia (Spanish: Azcoitia) is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, in northern Spain. It is also the seat of the municipality of the same name.

Geographical setting

Azkoitia and the municipality of the same name, are located on and around the upper Urola river valley, centered on a small alluvial plain surrounded by the Basque mountains. Except for the valley itself, the terrain is rather rugged, with elevations ranging to little less than 950 meters.

Population

A boulevard across the river from Azkoitia's old central square

As of 2004, the municipality numbers 10,946 inhabitants, of which 5,324 (49.867%) are men and 5,262 (50.133%) are women. Age is distributed among the sexes rather evenly with children and adolescents (0 to 17 years of age) forming 16.235% of the population, adults(18 to 54 years of age) making up 53.744%, and senior citizens forming the remaining 30.021%.

Historical relevance

Azkoitia was the birthplace of the mother of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit religious order. Ignatius' maternal grandfather, Don Martin Garcia de Licona, had purchased Balda Tower in the mid-15th century. Recurring bloody encounters in the region persuaded the king, Henry IV of Castile, to reduce the tower from a fortress to a courthouse. On 13 July 1467 Don Martin's daughter, Dona Marina Saenz de Licona Balda married Don Beltran Ibanez de Onaz y Loyola from neighbouring Azpeitia in the Licona family home in Azkoitia. The original wedding contract still exists.

Loyola's birth house is still preserved as a museum a part of a large Jesuit compound. It is located a few kilometers east of Azkoitia's city center, at the small community of Azpeitia, and is a major tourist attraction.

External links

Official Website Information available in Spanish and Basque.
AZKOITIA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa) Information available in Spanish

Notes

^ Demographics for all Basque municipalities

Municipalities in Gipuzkoa

Abaltzisketa Aduna Aia Aizarnazabal Albiztur Alegia Alkiza Altzaga Altzo Amezketa Andoain Anoeta Antzuola Arama Aretxabaleta Arrasate (Mondragón) Asteasu Astigarraga Ataun Azkoitia Azpeitia Baliarrain Beasain Beizama Belauntza Berastegi Bergara Berrobi Bidania-Goiatz Deba San Sebastián (Donostia) Eibar Elduain Elgeta Elgoibar Errenteria Errezil Eskoriatza Ezkio-Itsaso Gabiria Gaintza Gaztelu Getaria Hernani Hernialde Hondarribia Ibarra Idiazabal Ikaztegieta Irun Irura Itsasondo Larraul Lasarte-Oria Lazkao Leaburu Legazpi Legorreta Leintz-Gatzaga Lezo Lizartza Mendaro Mutiloa Mutriku Oiartzun Olaberria Oñati Ordizia Orendain Orexa Orio Ormaiztegi Pasaia Segura Soraluze (Placencia de las Armas) Tolosa Urnieta Urretxu Usurbil Villabona Zaldibia Zarautz Zegama Zerain Zestoa Zizurkil Zumaia Zumarraga

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