Leintz Gatzaga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leintz Gatzaga
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In the hills south of Leintz Gatzaga
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 Leintz Gatzaga
Location in Basque Country
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| Country |  Spain |
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| Autonomous community |  Basque Country |
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| Province | Gipuzkoa | |
| Eskualdea | Debagoiena | |
| Founded | 1331 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 14.72 km2 (5.68 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 455 m (1,493 ft) | |
| Population
(2018)
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| • Total | 232 | |
| • Density | 15.76/km2 (40.82/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | |
Leintz Gatzaga, also known as Salinas de Léniz in Spanish, is a small town in northern Spain. It's located in the province of Gipuzkoa, within the Basque Country. In 2015, about 251 people lived here.
Contents
What's in a Name? Leintz Gatzaga
The name Leintz Gatzaga has two parts. "Leintz" comes from the valley where the town is located. It's called the Valley of Leintz.
"Gatzaga" is a Basque word. It means "salt mine". This part of the name tells us something important. The town exists because of the salt mine nearby. Even though salt isn't made there anymore, it was once very important for the town's economy.
Where is Leintz Gatzaga?
Leintz Gatzaga covers an area of 14.7 square kilometers. It is in the province of Gipuzkoa, very close to Álava. The town is in a hilly area. It has steep hillsides and many trees. There isn't much flat land for farming.
This town is part of the Alto Deva region. The Deba River starts its journey here.
Leintz Gatzaga has a small, old part. It has four streets that used to be surrounded by a wall. Most people live in this old part. Others live in about 35 Basque farmhouses scattered around the village.
A Salty History: Leintz Gatzaga's Past
The history of Leintz Gatzaga is closely tied to two things: salt mines and an important road.
Salt Mining in Leintz Gatzaga
People have been mining salt in this area since the Iron Ages. This led to the town being founded. Before the town was built, there were small farms and villages. These were protected by the Castle of Aitzorrotz.
The salt mines belonged to the king or queen. But the people of Leintz Gatzaga had special rights. They could trade salt and work in the mines.
Salt was very important for the town's money. It even caused some fights. For example, in 1374, the Count of Oñati took control of the town. Leintz Gatzaga was also burned down several times. This happened in 1334, 1371, 1492, and 1498. After the last fire, people were told to rebuild the old part of town using stone.
Most places used sunlight to evaporate water and get salt. But in Leintz Gatzaga, the weather was cold and wet. So, salt miners used fire to make the water evaporate. The machines they used changed over hundreds of years.
Until the 1800s, people worked without big machines. Then, in 1920, a company bought the salt mine. They brought in new machines, and more salt was produced. However, this salt wasn't as good as sea salt. After 1500 years, the salt mine closed in 1972.
The Royal Road and Its Impact
In the 1600s, the Royal Road was built. This road connected the coast of Gipuzkoa with the inland areas. Leintz Gatzaga became part of this important route. It linked Castilla with the rest of Europe.
Because of this road, the town's economy grew. But wars affected this growth. These included the War of Spanish Independence, the War of the Pyrenees, and the Carlist Wars.
The town started to decline in the mid-1800s. First, a new road opened in 1851. This road went between Idiazabal and Altsasu. It made the Royal Road less important. Second, a railway line was built between Madrid and Irun. These two changes made Leintz Gatzaga less important.
Also, the salt mines became less profitable and eventually closed. All these things together caused the town to face economic problems. Its population also started to shrink.
How People Make a Living
There isn't much work in Leintz Gatzaga itself. Out of 125 working people, only about 50 work in the town.
Even though the town feels very rural, almost half of its people work in factories. These factories are in towns nearby. Very few people work only in farming or raising animals.
Leintz Gatzaga is trying to attract visitors. It has a tourism office, five restaurants, and several guesthouses.
Population Changes
In 2015, the population was 251 people. The town has never been very big. In 1950, the population got smaller. This was because Leintz Gatzaga was the only town in its region that didn't become industrialized. The population is also getting older. However, some new people moving in have changed the numbers a bit.
Old Buildings and Special Places
Even though Leintz Gatzaga is small, it has many interesting old buildings. You can still see the old medieval town plan. This plan came from rebuilding the town after a fire in 1371.
The old town walls are gone. But you can still see the five old gate entrances. There are also many beautiful old houses. They often have family shields and coats of arms on their fronts.
There are several religious buildings. The Dorleta sanctuary is outside the town, near the salt mine. The Church of San Millan was built in the 1300s and rebuilt in the 1500s. Many important old houses are also in the town. These include the Torrekua, Elexalde, Olaso, Indianokua, Soran, and Garro palaces.
Culture and Museums
There is a Salt Museum in Leintz Gatzaga. It shows how salt was taken from the old salt mine. It also explains how important salt was for the local economy. The old salt facilities have been fixed up and turned into this museum.
Images for kids
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In the hills south of Leintz Gatzaga
See also
In Spanish: Salinas de Léniz para niños
