Pasaia

Pasaia (Spanish: Pasajes) is a town and municipality located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the North of Spain. It is a fishing community, commercial port and the birth place of the Spanish admiral Blas de Lezo. Pasaia lies approximately 5 km east of Donostia (Spanish: San Sebastián), and lies between the mountains Monte Ulia and Monte Jaizkibel.

The municipality was formed by the consolidation of four barrios or districts located around the mouth of the Oyarzun River: San Pedro, Donibane, Antxo and Trintxerpe. Historically the area was controlled by two competing baronries, that of Hondarribia (Spanish: Fuenterrabia) which controlled the Donibane barrio and that of Donostia which controlled the San Perdo barrio. Donibane received its independence from Hondarribia in 1770, and San Pedro from Donostia in 1805. The barrio of Antxo was formed in 1890 when the Irun-Madrid railway came through. Trintxerpe was the last district to be formed. Trintxerpe and Antxo actually form a continuous urban strip with the eastern districts of the city of Donostia.

History

Pasaia is mentioned in documentary records for the first time in 1203 as 'Oiarso'. The first occurrence of the current name is in the Fifteenth Century under a Christian kingdom where it was called 'Pasage'. In 1770 Donibane received municipal rights from Charles IV of Spain.

References

*"This article is based in part on material from the Spanish Wikipedia".

External links

* [http://www.gipuzkoa.net/pasaia Official Website] Information available in Spanish and Basque.
* [http://www.euskomedia.org/euskomedia/SAunamendi?idi=en&op=7&voz=PASAIA PASAIA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa)] Information available in Spanish