Leitzaran
Encyclopedia
The Leitzaran is a river and a valley in the Navarre
and the Basque Country
(Spain
). It flows into the river Oria from its right.
Its source is in the Leitza
municipality in Navarre
, and it is 42 km long. It enters into Gipuzkoa in a place called Urto. It takes water from the municipalities of Areso
, Berastegi
, Elduain
, Villabona
, Urnieta
and Andoain
and has an area of 124.02 km², of which 69.72 km² belongs to Gipuzkoa.
valley' in Basque), and it mostly shapes up in the "Macizo de Cinco Villas", formed by materials formed in the Paleozoic
(concretely in the Carboniferous
), mostly slate and sandstone, fold during the Hercynian orogeny. The Leitzaran is very crooked and shows several meanders.
The gipuscoan Leitzaran is bounded in the east by the river Urumea
’s valley, divided by the Adarra
-Mandoegi mountain chain. Altzadi in this chain treads into the valley and separates the gipuscoan and the navarre Leitzaran. The dividing line in the west starts in Arizmendi and joins the Uzturre-Ipuliño chain later, in Belabieta. This mountains separates the valley from Zelai and Elduain, as well as the small valleys in the area of Amasa-Villabona.
s on the 29th of September, 1995. They have a total area of 0.74 km². Despite its apparently dehumanised appearance, the trace of man is strong. There are plenty of prehistoric monuments (especially in its borders) and grazing has been long-practised (as shown by the "seles" presence).
s and small hydroelectric power stations as well, some of them still functioning.
. Afterwards, its two ends were lengthened to Pamplona
and to Lasarte, a place where it joined up to the Ferrocarriles Vascongados
(Basque Railways), where it could provide services to Donostia (San Sebastián
). This railway (Pamplona - San Sebastián or PSS) was popularly called "Tren del Plazaola" (Plazaola’s Train in Spanish) and "Tren-txiki" (Little Train in Basque).
.
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
and the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
). It flows into the river Oria from its right.
Its source is in the Leitza
Leitza
Leitza is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*...
municipality in Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
, and it is 42 km long. It enters into Gipuzkoa in a place called Urto. It takes water from the municipalities of Areso
Areso
Areso is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*...
, Berastegi
Berastegi
Berastegi is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain, at the shores of the river Elduaran or Berastegi, at 1° 39' 40" east y 43° 08' 40" north, and at an altitude of 161,21 m...
, Elduain
Elduain
Elduain is a village in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, northern Spain. It is situated in the Leitzaran valley, some 32 km south of San Sebastián. The municipality has a population of 212 and covers an area of 25 km²...
, Villabona
Villabona
Villabona is a village of over 5500 inhabitants in the comarca of Tolosaldea, Gipuzkoa province, Basque Country, Spain. It has a urban area, close to the Oria River, and a rural area, Amasa, around which the village originally formed. Villabona is located in the Oria Valley, in the foothills of...
, Urnieta
Urnieta
Urnieta is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:* Information available in Spanish and Basque.* Information available in Spanish...
and Andoain
Andoain
Andoain is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the north of Spain. Nowadays it has a population above 13,000 inhabitants, which has been decreasing since 1981....
and has an area of 124.02 km², of which 69.72 km² belongs to Gipuzkoa.
Valle de Leizaran
The Gipuzkoan part of its basin is known as "Valle de Leizaran" (Leitzaran Valley, while the very name Leitzaran means 'the LeitzaLeitza
Leitza is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*...
valley' in Basque), and it mostly shapes up in the "Macizo de Cinco Villas", formed by materials formed in the Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
(concretely in the Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
), mostly slate and sandstone, fold during the Hercynian orogeny. The Leitzaran is very crooked and shows several meanders.
The gipuscoan Leitzaran is bounded in the east by the river Urumea
Urumea
The Urumea a" 'thin') is a river in the Basque Country at the north of the Iberian Peninsula. It's one of a series of Basque rivers flowing into the Bay of Biscay and best known for being the river flowing to the sea on the city of San Sebastian...
’s valley, divided by the Adarra
Adarra
Adarra is a mountain south of the city of San Sebastian in the Basque Country much appreciated and popular with the donostiarras and other neighbouring inhabitants...
-Mandoegi mountain chain. Altzadi in this chain treads into the valley and separates the gipuscoan and the navarre Leitzaran. The dividing line in the west starts in Arizmendi and joins the Uzturre-Ipuliño chain later, in Belabieta. This mountains separates the valley from Zelai and Elduain, as well as the small valleys in the area of Amasa-Villabona.
Protected biotope
The shorelines of the Leitzaran and those of its tributaries Ubaran (Ubane) and Malo were declared Protected BiotopeBiotope
Biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. Biotope is almost synonymous with the term habitat, but while the subject of a habitat is a species or a population, the subject of a biotope is a biological community.It...
s on the 29th of September, 1995. They have a total area of 0.74 km². Despite its apparently dehumanised appearance, the trace of man is strong. There are plenty of prehistoric monuments (especially in its borders) and grazing has been long-practised (as shown by the "seles" presence).
Industry
The most significant industry was the blast furnaces and the river was very useful to them. Minerals came from the valley itself, but there were also some imported from Somorrostro. The river’s waters have powered flour watermillWatermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
s and small hydroelectric power stations as well, some of them still functioning.
Bizkotx mines and railway
In order to carry the minerals from the Bizkotx mines a railway was built from the mines (located near the place known as Plazaola) to AndoainAndoain
Andoain is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the north of Spain. Nowadays it has a population above 13,000 inhabitants, which has been decreasing since 1981....
. Afterwards, its two ends were lengthened to Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
and to Lasarte, a place where it joined up to the Ferrocarriles Vascongados
EuskoTren
EuskoTren is a commuter rail service which operates in the Basque Country provinces of Biscay and Gipuzkoa. It is one of the three commercial brands of the public society owned by the Basque Government, Eusko Trenbideak - Ferrocarriles Vascos...
(Basque Railways), where it could provide services to Donostia (San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
). This railway (Pamplona - San Sebastián or PSS) was popularly called "Tren del Plazaola" (Plazaola’s Train in Spanish) and "Tren-txiki" (Little Train in Basque).
The Plazaola Greenway
Nowadays, a big part of the Plazaola railway’s course is being recovered for leisure as a greenwayGreenway (landscape)
A greenway is a long, narrow piece of land, often used for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle user traffic, and sometimes for streetcar, light rail or retail uses.- Terminology :...
.