Lazkao facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lazkao
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Motto(s):  Lazkaoko Kontzeju Oso Zintzo eta Oso Leiala / Muy Noble y Muy Leal Concejo de Lazcano (The very noble and loyal council of Lazkao)
Lazkao Location in Basque Country
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Basque Country
Province	Gipuzkoa
Eskualdea	Goierri
Area
• Total	11.4 km2 (4.4 sq mi)
Elevation	160 m (520 ft)
Population  (2018)
• Total	5,646
• Density	495.3/km2 (1,283/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (GMT)
Website	http://www.lazkao.eus

Lazkao (which is called Lazcano in Spanish) is a small town. It is also a municipality in the Goierri region. You can find it in the province of Gipuzkoa, which is part of the Basque Country in Spain.

Where is Lazkao?

Lazkao is located in the Southern Basque Country. It is in the province of Gipuzkoa, Spain. The town sits in a beautiful green valley.

Nearby Towns

• To the north are Beasain and Ordizia.
• To the south are Idiazabal and Ataun.
• To the east is Zaldibia.
• To the west is Olaberria.

How far is Lazkao from big cities?

• Donostia-San Sebastián: 45 kilometers away.
• Madrid: 428 kilometers away.
• Barcelona: 507 kilometers away.

Getting Around Lazkao

It's easy to travel to and from Lazkao.

Train and Roads

• The closest train station is in Beasain, just 2 kilometers away.
• Roads connect Lazkao to nearby towns like Olaberria, Ataun, Ordizia, and Beasain.

Bus Services

There are bus stops all over town.

• One line goes from Ataun to Lazkao and then to Beasain.
• Another line connects Ataun, Lazkao, Ordizia, and Zaldibia.
• You can also take buses from San Sebastián to Logroño.
• Or from San Sebastián to Pamplona.

Airports Nearby

• Hondarribia Airport (near Donostia-San Sebastián): 58 kilometers away.
• Loiu Airport (near Bilbao): 86 kilometers away.
• Noain Airport (near Pamplona/Iruñea): 68 kilometers away.
• Foronda Airport (near Vitoria-Gasteiz): 83 kilometers away.

Town Government

Lazkao has its own local government.

The Mayor

• The current mayor is Kepa Zubiarrain. He is from the EAJ-PNV political party.
• The mayor is the main leader of the town.

Local Police

• The local police in Lazkao are called Udaltzaingoa in Basque.
• There are four police officers, two police cars, and a motorbike.
• The police station is on the ground floor of the town hall building.
• The police help with traffic, deliver important notices, check on building projects, organize the town market, and help with lost items.

History of Lazkao

Many historians believe Lazkao was founded a very long time ago, in the year 1053.

Modern History

• During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), Lazkao experienced some difficult times.
• A person named Eustakio Mendizabal studied at the Benedictine monastery in Lazkao from 1954 to 1966. He later became involved with the group ETA.
• In 2005, a Benedictine monk from the town was questioned by the Spanish National Police and the Guardia Civil. They were looking into possible connections with the Basque separatist group ETA.
• In 2006, the group ETA caused an explosion at a company called Azkar. This happened because the company did not pay money that the group demanded.

Religion and Festivals

Lazkao has a strong religious history and celebrates special events.

Benedictine Monks

• In 2007, the town celebrated 200 years since Benedictine monks first arrived in Lazkao.
• Important leaders, like the Deputy-General of Gipuzkoa and Juan Jose Ibarretxe (who was the Prime Minister of the Basque Autonomous Community), joined the celebration.

Special Festivals

• Day of the Donkey (called Astotxo Eguna in Basque)
• This festival happens every first Sunday in January.
• During this day, people act out the story of the Flight to Egypt in the streets of Lazkao.
• This play about the Biblical passage first started in Lazkao in the 17th century.
• Today, the Nuns of the Convent of Lazkao still sell traditional wafers for this event.

Famous People from Lazkao

• Joseba Beloki: A famous cyclist. He came in second place in the 2002 Tour de France and third place the year before.
• Lazkao Txiki (Joxe Migel Iztueta Kortajarena): A well-known bertsolari. A bertsolari is someone who sings improvised poems in Basque.

Images for kids

• 

  The Monastery of Santa Ana and the Palace of the Dukes of Lazcano.

See also

In Spanish: Lazcano para niños