Uribe Berango

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HISTORY

Santo Domingo de Guzman church

Geographically, the municipality of Berango can be divided into two clearly-differentiated areas: the mountains of the foothills of the Mugarrikolanda massif and the gently sloping meadows that run beside the river Gobela, separated from the sea by a narrow strip of land, only 700 m wide, belonging to Getxo. Most of the town’s buildings and homes are located in the second of these areas.

Berango’s excellent location close to the Bilbao–Plentzia road and its good communications with the centre of Bilbao by underground railway, have increased its attraction as a residential area and led to considerable growth in its population over recent years. Today, traditional ways of life based on agriculture and livestock breeding have gradually been replaced by the services sector.

The town features an extensive array of historical monuments that illustrate the presence of man in Berango from prehistoric times to the present day. Not only are there examples of prehistoric constructions but also interesting examples of medieval tower houses and pre-industrial installations such as watermills and quarries. The town also has a number of interesting churches and secular buildings.

The Elexalde complex is one of the most interesting features of the town. It was built at the end of the nineteenth century thanks to a bequest from the Otxandategi family and features an eclectic style fountain dedicated to one of its members, Don Simón, The town hall, the school houses, the parish church, the old estate of the Otxandategi family and the area surrounding the priest’s house make up this extensive, peaceful area.

For many years, Berango has been a major centre for the organisation of cultural activities and events in this region. These include the well-known Living Passion of Berango, the only event of this kind held totally at night in Bizkaia, in which more than 250 people take part, and the “Bacalada de Berango” a long-established cooking competition in which the main dish is cod “al pil-pil”, held on the second Sunday in August. Berango is also one of the few towns in the Basque Country that can boast an uninterrupted tradition in Basque dancing. The group Simon Otxandategi Dantza Taldea, created in 1943, organises a large number of events and performances.

Historical Sites

As far back as the Upper Palaeolithic, 40,000 years ago, man has inhabited the coastal strip that runs from the Bilbao estuary to the Plentzia estuary. Evidence of this is the major prehistoric site of Kurtzia, where a large number of flint tools have been found.

The Neolithic age witnessed the expansion of the pastoral culture, a proliferation of open-air settlements and the widespread practise of burying the dead in caves and dolmens. The Mugarrikolanda mound, located on the boundary betweem Berango and Sopelana, a set of megalithic funeral monuments (five tumuli and a dolmen) date from this era. To visit them, follow the sign-posted route.

During the Middle Ages, Berango witnessed the dramatic clashes of the Guerras Banderizas (Wars of the Flags), especially the pitched battles between the different lineages of the area, the Ibargoen and the Butrón families, which took place during the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. In the middle ages, there were at lest five strongholds or tower houses in Berango, of which two, Basagoiti and Otxandategi, are still standing today. One can still see the remains of the tower of the Berango-Uriarte family.
The Otxandategi Tower was constructed in the 13th century and was at first linked to the Butrón family. Today, it is almost completely surrounded by constructions built at a later date. Nevertheless, one can still see parts of the original square tower. The Basagoiti Tower (15th century) is a cube-shaped building with a height of almost 9 m, with its well-preserved gothic walls.
Palacio Agirre is a magnificent example of contemporary residential architecture in Berango. It is built around the remains of the Tower of Berango-Uriarte. Designed by Manuel María Smith in 1921, the façade of this Neo-Basque building represents a farmhouse with its noble arch. The walls of the tower and several of its elements have been taken advantage of for new uses such as a stand-alone services building. Other outstanding homes include the alpine-style Palacio de Icaza with its beautiful gardens, and the Neo-Basque Casa Sasiarte.

With regard to religious buildings, Berango contains a number of Baroque churches: the church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, which was built in the 18th century on the former parish church of San Lorenzo (12th century). Inside, the mausoleum built in honour of the Otxandategi brothers is of special interest. The distinguishing feature of the building is its tower, with its cross supported by a pointed spire.

The chapel of Santa Ana is a Baroque building with an open façade, protected by a portico. It replaces another built in 1627. Festivals in honour of the Saint are held on July 26 with a mass and animated popular procession. Although recent (1949), the cemetery is an outstanding example of the Neo-classical style. Its spectacular façade recalls the ancient worlds of Greece and Italy.

The 19th century saw increasing growth in public services and infrastructures. The donations of the architect Simón de Otxandategi were used to construct the present tower of the church and complex that includes the Town Hall and old school houses (1886) in the post-neoclassical style. In recognition of its benefactor, the town of Berango erected the Monument to Otxandategi, designed by José Mª Basterra, in 1911.

A major aspect of the cultural heritage of the town is the large number of beautiful farmhouses built during the 16th and 17th centuries, interesting examples of which still exist today. The oldest of these, which feature visible beams on their facades, are Arrizubiaga, Sustatxa, Lukategitxu, Lotxarine and Madariaga, all of which date from the 16th century.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the open portico style on the front façade, supported with a thick oak beam, became widespread. Good examples of this period include, among others, the Intxaurraga, Urtxubi, Landeiaurre, Olagorta, Iturriaga and Berangotxu farmhouses. Some of them still boast beautiful ornamentals elements such as the wooden carvings in Arrate Bekoa, columns in Etxebarri or the coat of arms dating from 1690 in Landeidas.

Five of the eight watermills used for grinding flour built on the banks of the river Gobela are still standing: Kukullaga Goikoa, Itxe, Errotatxu, Goiko Errota and Poze, already known in the 14th century. The first of these has a curious cylindrical ashlar stone water tank, the latter being raised above three arches of cut stone that provide access to the channel wall.