Mallabia
Encyclopedia
Mallabia is an elizate
, town and municipality
located in the province of Biscay
, in the Basque Country
, northern Spain
. Mallabia is part of the comarca
of Durangaldea
and has a population of 1.135 inhabitants as of 2006 and according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute
.
word malla ("step", "level" or "height") and bi(a) ("two" or "the one with two"), then refers to the place with "two levels" or "two heights".
s, the date of foundation of Mallabia is unknown. Its origin is linked with the old Tierra Llana (Spanish for "flat lands") of the ancient merindad of Durango. At some point, it possibly split from the elizate of Zanazaurra (in which lands the elizate of Ermua
was founded). Since 1635, Mallabia had voice and right to vote in the Juntas of Guerendiaga, where it occupied the seat number three. The local church was opened in the 11th century, it was reconstructed in the 16th century and finally finished in 1750.
. It limits at north with the municipalities of Markina-Xemein
and Etxebarria
, at south with Zaldibar
at east with Eibar
(province of Gipuzkoa) and Ermua
and at west with Berriz
.
, Donostia, Durango
and Eibar
, among others. The nearest highway is the AP-8
, which cannot be accessed from the town; the closest access is located in Ermua
.
The narrow-gauge regional railways Euskotren
does not have a station in the town, despite crossing near to it.
Elizate
Elizate is a Basque term that refers to an early form of local government in the Basque Country which was particularly common in Biscay but also existed in the other provinces. It literally translates as "church door"...
, town and municipality
Municipalities of Spain
The municipalities of Spain In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. municipi.*Galician or , sing. municipio/bisbarra.*Basque , sing. udalerria. are the basic level of Spanish local government...
located in the province of Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
, in 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....
, northern 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...
. Mallabia is part of the comarca
Comarcas of Spain
In Spain traditionally and historically, some autonomous communities are also divided into comarcas .In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing comarca.*Galician , sing. comarca....
of Durangaldea
Durangaldea
Durangaldea is a comarca of Biscay located in the Basque Country, Spain. It is one of the seven comarcas or regions that compose the province of Biscay. The capital city of Durangaldea is Durango.- Geography :...
and has a population of 1.135 inhabitants as of 2006 and according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute
Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain)
The National Institute of Statistics is the official organisation in Spain that collects statistics about demography, economy, and Spanish society. Every 10 years, this organisation conducts a national census. The last census took place in 2001....
.
Toponymy
The etymology of the word Mallabia may come from the BasqueBasque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
word malla ("step", "level" or "height") and bi(a) ("two" or "the one with two"), then refers to the place with "two levels" or "two heights".
History
As it is common with the elizateElizate
Elizate is a Basque term that refers to an early form of local government in the Basque Country which was particularly common in Biscay but also existed in the other provinces. It literally translates as "church door"...
s, the date of foundation of Mallabia is unknown. Its origin is linked with the old Tierra Llana (Spanish for "flat lands") of the ancient merindad of Durango. At some point, it possibly split from the elizate of Zanazaurra (in which lands the elizate of Ermua
Ermua
Ermua is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:* * *...
was founded). Since 1635, Mallabia had voice and right to vote in the Juntas of Guerendiaga, where it occupied the seat number three. The local church was opened in the 11th century, it was reconstructed in the 16th century and finally finished in 1750.
Geography
The municipality of Mallabia is located in the eastern part of BiscayBiscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
. It limits at north with the municipalities of Markina-Xemein
Markina-Xemein
Markina-Xemein is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, Bizkaia, in the Basque Autonomous Community, also known as the Basque Country, located in northern Spain. The origin of the town's name lies in its geographic location. The last town in the province of Bizkaia, Markina...
and Etxebarria
Etxebarria
Etxebarria is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-See also:Javier, Etxebarri, Etxeberria, Chávarri are names with the same Basque etymons.-External links:*...
, at south with Zaldibar
Zaldibar
Zaldibar is an elizate, town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, Spain...
at east with Eibar
Éibar
Eibar is a city and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country of Spain. The city was chartered by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1346...
(province of Gipuzkoa) and Ermua
Ermua
Ermua is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:* * *...
and at west with Berriz
Berriz
Berriz is an elizate, town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, northern Spain...
.
Transportation
The town is crossed by the roads BI-3301 (Ermua-Trabakua), BI-633 (Durango-Ondarroa) and the N-634, which connects the town with BilbaoBilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
, Donostia, Durango
Durango
Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...
and Eibar
Éibar
Eibar is a city and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country of Spain. The city was chartered by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1346...
, among others. The nearest highway is the AP-8
Autopista AP-8
The Autopista AP-8 is a highway in the north of Spain and crosses the Basque Country from east to west. It is known as the Autopista del Cantábrico and connects the French Border with Bilbao...
, which cannot be accessed from the town; the closest access is located in Ermua
Ermua
Ermua is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:* * *...
.
The narrow-gauge regional railways Euskotren
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...
does not have a station in the town, despite crossing near to it.