Aula· Spain, city by cityPaís Vasco
Irún
«Irún es una importante ciudad fronteriza con Francia.»Irún is an important border city with France.
Irún is located at the mouth of the Bidasoa river, on the border with France, opposite Hendaye. It was the Roman port of Oiasso and for centuries the land gateway to Spain; in its stretch of the river lies Pheasant Island, which changes sovereignty every six months.
Did you know
A Roman port beneath the city
Hidden beneath the ground of Irún are the remains of the ancient Roman city of Oiasso, a key commercial port for the transport of iron ore.
How they talk in Irún
Euskera, Castilian and French meet much more often here than elsewhere. «Muga» means border in Basque and is a concrete word in the daily life of the area.
agur
Greeting used to take leave and, depending on the context, also to say hello. Short greeting formula in Basque, very recognizable in the daily life of the Basque Country.
Everyday life in Irún
The border is crossed on foot
France begins on the other side of the bridge over the Bidasoa: people go to Hendaye for shopping, for tobacco or to catch the train, and in many homes they switch from Spanish to French.
«Cruzamos el puente y ya es Francia.» — We cross the bridge and it is already France.
The «Alarde» of 30 June
Thousands of people parade in military formation with rifles, firing blanks, to commemorate a battle from 1522: the festival has divided the city for years over the participation of women.
The station that sorts Europe
For decades, Irún was the point where trains changed gauge between Spain and France: the freight yard is huge, and generations of railway workers have worked there.
What to eat in Irún
Bonito con tomate
White tuna from the Cantabrian Sea cooked slowly in tomato and pepper sauce.
Tarta de queso vasca
Cheesecake baked in a very hot oven: burnt on top and liquid in the centre.
Marmitako
Tuna soup with potatoes, onion and choricero pepper.
Festivals in Irún
San Marcial
30 June
The «Alarde»: thousands of people parade in formation firing blanks, for a battle from 1522 that has never been forgotten here.
What to see in Irún
Isla de los Faisanes
The smallest condominium in the world: Spanish for six months and French for the other six.
Museo Romano Oiasso
The Roman port museum, with the quays and objects found in the excavations.
Ermita de Santa Elena
The hermitage built over a Roman necropolis, with the excavations visible under the floor.
Puente de Santiago
The bridge over the Bidasoa that leads to France: it takes two minutes to cross on foot.
Where Irún comes from
An island that changes country every six months
Roman era
Oiasso
Roman port on the Bidasoa, arrival point of the road from the interior.
16th century
The border
The Bidasoa becomes the border with France: Irún is the land gateway to Spain.
1659
The treaty
The Peace of the Pyrenees is signed on the Island of Pheasants, and the marriage of Louis XIV is arranged.
1936
The war
The city burns during the civil war: the historic centre is almost entirely lost.
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