Arkaia facts for kids
Arkaia (sometimes called Arcaya in Spanish) is a small village located on the eastern side of Vitoria. It's in the Basque area of Álava, Spain. In 2017, about 78 people lived there.
Contents
A Look Back: Arkaia's History
Ancient Roman Discoveries
Imagine finding parts of an ancient Roman bathhouse! That's what happened in Arkaia in the 1700s. A person named Lorenzo Prestamero first found these amazing ruins.
The Roman town here was quite big, covering about 19 hectares (that's like 35 football fields!). In 1976, an archaeologist named Ramón Loza Lengaran dug up more of the bathhouse. He thought it was probably a public bath, meaning everyone could use it.
Scientists have found that people lived in this area a very long time ago, even before 300 BC. The Roman ruins might be from a town called Suessatio-Suestatio, which old books mention.
Roman Roads and Pilgrims
Arkaia was close to an important Roman road. This road connected two big Roman cities: Asturica Augusta and Burdigala. Being near such a busy road probably helped the town grow large.
Later, during the Middle Ages, this old Roman road became part of a famous journey. Pilgrims from all over Europe used it to travel to Santiago de Compostela. This path is known as the Interior Basque Route of the Way of St. James.
You can even see signs of these pilgrims inside the Church of the Nativity of Mary in Arkaia. This church was first written about in the year 1226.
The Arcaya Family Story
The Arcaya family comes from this very place. Their history goes way back to a battle in 848, where Andres de Arcaya fought. Another family member, Diego de Arcaya, worked for King James I of Aragon. He later moved back to the town of Lekeitio, in Biscay. The main house of the Arcaya family was built in 1132.
The first Arcaya to move to the Americas was Melchor de Arcaya. He arrived in Chile in 1630 and settled in a place called Colina. The Arcayas became big landowners in Chile, especially around the Santiago area. Their family name was common in places like Vitacura, Pirque, and Colina.
One of the most famous Arcayas was Francisco Diaz de Arcaya. He became a friar and changed his name to Francisco de Vitoria.
How Many People Live in Arkaia?
In 2017, Arkaia had 78 people living there. This was a small decrease from ten years before, when 88 people lived in the village.
See also
In Spanish: Arcaya para niños
