Urola (river) facts for kids
The Urola is a river and valley in Gipuzkoa, Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. It is a short but important river that flows through a beautiful part of the Basque Country.
The river starts high up in the Aizkorri Mountains, near the town of Legazpi. From there, it flows for about 55 kilometers (34 miles) until it reaches the Cantabrian Sea at the town of Zumaia. This is where the river meets the sea in the Bay of Biscay.
Along its journey, the Urola River forms a natural border between the towns of Zumárraga and Urretxu. Further downstream, it also passes through the towns of Azkoitia and Azpeitia.
What Does "Urola" Mean?
The name Urola comes from two old Basque words. The first word is Ur, which means "water." The second word is Ola, which means "factory" or "mill."
So, "Urola" basically means "water factory" or "water mill." This name makes a lot of sense because many water mills have been built along the river valley since the Middle Ages. These mills used the river's power to grind grain or help with other tasks.
See also
In Spanish: Río Urola para niños
