Elgoibar
Elgoibar | ||
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View of Downtown Elgoibar and Deba River | ||
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Elgoibar Location of Elgoibar within the Basque Country | ||
Coordinates: 43°12′51″N 02°25′01″W / 43.21417°N 2.41694°WCoordinates: 43°12′51″N 02°25′01″W / 43.21417°N 2.41694°W | ||
Country | Spain | |
Autonomous community | Basque Country | |
Province | Gipuzkoa | |
Comarca | Debabarrena | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Ane Beitia (PNV) | |
Area | ||
• Land | 39.11 km2 (15.10 sq mi) | |
Population (2012) | ||
• Total | 11,488 | |
• Density | 292.46/km2 (757.5/sq mi) | |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
Postal code | 20870 | |
Area code(s) | 34 (Spain) + 943 (Gipuzkoa) |
Elgoibar (Spanish: Elgóibar) is an industrial town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain. Located in a valley, it is traversed by the Deba river. Elgoibar is nicknamed the "capital city of the Machine tool".
Elgoibar (Spanish: Elgóibar) is an industrial town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain. Located in a valley, it is traversed by the Deba river. Elgoibar is nicknamed the "capital city of the Machine tool".
Originally the town was called Villamayor de Marquina, but it had been founded in a place called before Elgoibar field. The town came to be known by this name a few centuries of its foundation. Until the mid-fifteenth century it appears in the documentation as Villamayor de Marquina, but in the statutes of the Brotherhood of Gipuzkoa of 1457 and 1463 years appears with the Elgoibar name and it has prevailed until today. Elgoibar name has been used in Spanish and in Basque in order to refer to the small town. The unique difference is that in Spanish the name Elgoibar has an accent mark in its "o".
Elgoibar etymologically comes from the Basque language and is possibly composed of the word meaning elge field (usually cultivated) and safely by ibar word which means valley and plain. Therefore, "elge ibar" would be a similar term to vega or plain cultivated field and would have resulted in Elgoibar. The etymology would remain quite well with the mention of Elgoibar field that appears in the settlement charter of the town.
Economy
Since the very beginning of the establishment of the Ville, the industrial nature was very relevant. The king kept for himself the strip mining of the minerals such as gold or silver, and the ironworks production. As Tómas López described in 1800 " The industrialization transformed that protoindustry, on a machinery tools factories network; like this is how this village turned into being the "capital city of the Machine Tool". Main companies The following list includes companies that are located in Elgoibar, and that have at least an staff of 50 people according to the Basque Industry catalog:
- Alcorta Brockhaus, S.A.: Manufacturer of components of forged steel for the automotive industry.
- AVS Added Value Solutions: Designing and manufacturing equipment for the industry of science and machine tool industry.
- Bernardo Ecenarro, S.A.: Manufacturing paints and special covers for the automotive industry
- Doimak: Manufacturing rectifier machines
- Engranajes Grindel, S.A.: Manufacturer of gears.
- Etxe-Tar, S.A.: Machine Tool Industry
Local Festivities
Elgoibar celebrates festivity in honor of its patron; San Bartolome and San Anton. The latter is the patron of the villa. In addition, there are a number of celebrations that are celebrated in unison of the region or the country such as San Blas, Carnivals or the Eve of St. Agatha. There is cattle fair the last Saturday of each month and specially the last Saturday of the year, Gabon Zahar Feria.
- San Anton festivity, second landlord of the town, on 17 of January.
- San Bartolome, the patron of Elgoibar, on August 23.
- San Juan festivity, on June 23.
Then, there are smaller celebrations in the rural districts and the hermitages like the pilgrimage of Santiago Sargoate day.
Outstanding people from Elgoibar
Militaries and Governors
- Martin Iñiguez de Carquizano (?¿-1527): sea man that took part in the Garcia Jofre de Loaisa expedition.
- Gabriel de Crucelegui (1635-1689): governor of Philippines.
Religious people
- Domingo de Alzola XVI century: Guadalajara's archbishop.
- Francisco Aguirre (1863-1941): missionary priest in China.
Industrial people
- Eulogio Estarta (1891-1955): industrial. Fundator of the local company "SIGMA".
- Bernando Ecenarro (1873-1956): industrial.
Writers
- Pedro Miguel Urruzuno (1844-1923): priest and basque writer.
- Jasone Osoro (1971): journalist and basque writer.
- Gotzon Garate (1934-2008): basque writer, philosopher, philologist and Jesuit.
- Hasier Etxeberria (1957): journalist and writer. Broadcaster of the literary TV program Sautrela in ETB
- Uxue Alberdi (1984): journalist, writer and improviser of basque verse.
Pelota Players
- Roque Echave, Echave II (1938)
- Ignacio Cortabitarte (1912-1998)
- Javier Arriola Lizarralde, Arriola IV
Football players
- Jose Luis González (1964): footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Real Sociedad and Valencia C.F, among others.
- Tiburcio Beristain (1904-1959): footballer.
- Fernando Ansola (1940-1986): international football player who played in the Real Oviedo, Real Betis, Valencia C.F and Real Sociedad.
- Juan Cruz Sol (1947): international footballer who played in the Real Madrid and Valencia CF.
- Markel Bergara (1986): football player that currently is playing in the Real Sociedad.
- Ricardo Suarez (1923-2008): football player who played in the Real Sociedad and Granada C.F, among others.
- Joseba Etxeberria (1977): international football player who played in the Real Sociedad and Athletic Club.
- Itziar Gurrutxaga (1977): international football player who played in the Athletic Club EFT.
- Zuhaitz Gurrutxaga (1980): football player who played in the Real Sociedad.
- Elisabeth Ibarra (1981): international football player that currently plays in the Athletic Club EFT.
Other sports
- Juan Muguerza (1900-1937): athlete.
- Jose Maria Benavides (1945): yachtsman. 11 times Spanish champion and twice olympique winner.
Bullfighter
- Luis Mazzantini (1856-1926)
Politicians
- Jaime Arrese (1936-1980): Mayor of Elgoibar in the 1970s. Murdered by Comandos Autonomos anticapitalistas
- Francisco Javier Ansuategui (1937): conservative politician.
- Arnaldo Otegui (1958): Basque national politician, Sortu's chief of staff.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elgoibar. |
- Official Website Information available in Spanish and Basque.
- ELGOIBAR in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa) Information available in Spanish