Legazpi, Gipuzkoa facts for kids
Legazpi is a town in northern Spain, located in the Gipuzkoa province. This area is part of the Basque Country, which is a special region in Spain with its own culture and language. Legazpi is home to about 9,000 people and sits in the Urola valley, surrounded by mountains, including the Aizkorri range. The main way people make a living here is through industry, like making metal products, plastics, and other manufactured goods.
A History of Iron and Industry
Legazpi has a very long and interesting history when it comes to making things, especially from iron. This tradition goes all the way back to the High Middle Ages, which was many hundreds of years ago. Back then, people used simple workshops called haizeolak, which means "ironworks moved by wind." These workshops used the power of the wind to help process iron ore.
Later, around the 1300s, people found a new and better way to power their ironworks: water! They built "ironworks propelled by water," known as ur ola. The word ur means 'water', and ola originally meant 'shack' or 'workshop'. This is actually where the name of the Urola river, which flows through Legazpi, comes from! This change made Legazpi a very important place for metalworking in the Basque Country.
Mirandaola: A Glimpse into the Past
One very special ironworks from the 1300s, called Mirandaola, is still standing today. It's unique because it's one of the only places in the Basque Country where you can see an old ironworks like this. Today, Mirandaola is the heart of a fun and educational park. Here, visitors can learn about the old ways of life and how people worked with iron long ago. It's a great place to explore history and see how things were made in the past.
People from Legazpi
- Pilar Zabala Aguirre (born 1951): She is a well-known researcher, writer, and professor.
