amaWalkers USA has a NEW WEBSITE

After learning that Submission Forms were not being forwarded

from the original amaWalkers website,

and the techs couldn't figure out what was causing the problem,

I decided to move our website!
I've added a lot of new photos.

Here is the address; drop by and take a look!

www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com

Annie

Eunate and Puente de la Reina

 Leaving Pamplona, we walk through Cizur Menor and up over the Alto del Perdon, where hundreds of pilgrims like ourselves have taken the obligatory photograph of themselves alongside the wonderful wrought iron sculpture of medieval pilgrims, heads bent into the wind. 

Coming down the other side of the 790 m hill puts us in Uterga, where there is the smallest albergue I know of. One room houses one set of bunk beds where 2 or 3 pilgrims can have a quiet night with shower and toilet if you know where to find it.

From Uterga, a short 2.5 km detour will take you to Eunate.

 Eunate.

If you choose to take the short side trip to Eunate in the fall, 

you will be rewarded by walking through fields of sunflowers 

for as far as the eye can see. 

It's a surreal feeling, 

like one is one the way to OZ to visit the Wizard!

It isn't OZ at the end of the yellow-bordered road, 

but it is something just as lovely.  

Soon, you come round a bend and find yourself in front of 

the beautiful Romanesque Church of Saint Mary of Eunate, 

a hermitage dedicated to the Virgin. 

I love this llinoleum block print by Melissa West

Joe is contemplating Eunate

 Since the late 19th century, there have been several theories 

about the original function and authorship of Eunate. 

Because of its octagonal shape, some theories stated 

that Eunate was a Templar church, 

related to other central plan churches the Holy Sepulchre of Torres del Río, 

and other undoubtedly Templar buildings 

like the Templar convent of Tomar, 

the Temple Church of London or the Holy Sepulchre of Pisa;

all of them inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. 

Holy Sepulchre of Torres del Río

Ceiling of the Church at Torres del Rio

 This alleged Templar origin 

and the aura of mystery that surrounds the church 

have contributed to esoteric interpretations. 

While the presence of Knights Templar 

in this zone of Navarre is not documented, 

the importance of another military order, 

the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem or Knights Hospitaller, 

that could have operated a hospital ('hostel') for pilgrims to Santiago,

is well known.

 Archaeological excavations have found many burials 

here as well as the typical St. James' shells.

Leaving Eunate, the road is flat and the walking is easy.

Soon we find ourselves in Puente la Reina.

Puente La Reina 

Puente la Reina means "bridge of the Queen." 

It is a town  located in the autonomous community of Navarra,

in northern Spain.

On a calm day the view can be stunning!

The pretty pedestrian bridge over the Rio Arga was built 

under the direction of a queen. 

However, which queen was responsible is a mystery.   

Doña Mayor, wife of King Sancho III was the queen who gave her name to the town 

and is thought by many to have built the six-arched bridge

for the use of pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

This town was laid out with parallel streets perpendicular to the river in 1122.  

 It had French, Basque, Jewish, and Spanish districts, 

each ethnic group keeping to its own quarter.

In 1142, the town was given to the Knights Templar by King García Ramírez.
They kept it until their expulsion from Spain in the early 14^th century.

 In the Middle Ages, Puente la Reina hosted many pilgrims. 

A Templar´s hospice, documented in 1146, sold bread and wine to pilgrims, 

but by law had to lodge them for free.   

They were entitled to one night´s lodging on their way to Santiago 

and two nights upon their return. 

I suppose “donativo” is pretty darned close to still being free, isn’t it?

Pilgrims Sleeping in Church in Logroño. Photo by TheWayFinder

In “The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago,” Linda Kay Davidson tells us

the universal experience of pilgrims hasn’t really changed 

since the Italian pilgrim Domenico Laffi made his pilgrimage in  the 17^th century:

“We passed through a great forest, finally reaching Puente la Reina… After a short walk through the town… we looked for an inn to lodge. But we could find nothing… and there was nowhere for us. We looked for lodging in many places but in vain. But then God, who never abandons anyone, reminded us that at the entrance to the town, at the distance of no more than a gunshot, there was a little chapel in the middle of the open road. We decided to go there in order to sleep inside… The bed consisted of four heaps of vines spread on the ground and covered with a blanket. Thus we settled down as best we could.”

I know of several pilgrims who have slept in doorways, 

churches, and under bridges on their journey to Santiago.

In older times, pilgrims were protected by law, 

just as they are today.

Records from 1350 show a man was hung 

for stealing money, books and clothes from other pilgrims. 

One of the important churches in Puente la Reina is the Iglesia de Santiago. 

This church has a statue near the west door showing Santiago as a pilgrim.  

The Iglesia del Crucifero was built in the 12^th century by the Knights Templar.  

 It later maintained a 15^th century hospice. 

During the Carlist Wars, the church and monastery became a barracks,

and were also used as a prison and munitions arsenal. 

The original 12^th century Romanesque church had a single nave.

A second Gothic nave was added in the 14^th century. 

The church was originally named for the 12^th century Romanesque seated Virgin

with the adult-child Christ on her lap. 

This statue was stolen years ago and though recovered, 

has been replaced by a replica which is inaccurate in some details. 

The interesting Y-shaped crucifix in the church

is said to have been a gift from a German pilgrim in the 14^th century. 

This Y-shape is an ancient symbol, as is the cross itself.

It is frequently a representation of the division of the world into four elements or cardinal points, or alternately as the union of the concepts of 

divinity, the vertical line, 

and the world, the horizontal line. 

  As a crucifix, this Y-shaped cross is known by many other names 

such as the Ypsilon Cross, Y-Cross, Pall Cross, Furca (The Fork), Gabelkreuz (Fork Cross, Branch Cross), Schacherkreuz (Thief's Cross, Cross of Robbers).

The names Thief's Cross or Robber's Cross

comes from the belief that criminals in Roman Judea were crucified on a forked cross. However, there is little irrefutable evidence about the origins.

The Cross as a TAV has particular meanings.  

 Tav is said to have come from a mark perhaps indicating a signature. 

Its literal usage in the Torah denotes a wound. 

Tav is the last letter of the Hebrew word emet, which means truth. 

The midrash explains that emet is made up of the first, middle, and last letters 

of the Hebrew alphabet (Aleph, Mem, and Tav: אמת). 

Sheqer (falsehood), on the other hand, is made up of the 19th, 20th, and 21st 

(and penultimate) letters.

Thus, truth is all-encompassing, 

while falsehood is narrow and deceiving.

In Jewish mythology it was the word emet

that was carved into the head of the Golem which ultimately gave it life. 

But when the letter "aleph" was erased from the Golem's forehead, 

what was left was "met" — dead.

And so the Golem died.

A few hundred years before Christ, 

Pythagoras added the letter upsilon to the Greek alphabet, 

which is ‘Y '' in uppercase and 'u' in lowercase. 

Pythagoras viewed the 'Y' as a symbol of one's journey through life.  

 The vertical line represented your life's path. 

The point where the vertical line converges with the two diagonal lines 

represented the choice between the right branch, 

the difficult road following the goddess of Arête (Virtue) for a blessed life, 

or branch left on the easy path following the goddess Kakia (Vice) to a life of ruin.

This is related to ideas about the right hand being the good or "dexter" hand

and the left hand being the bad or "sinister" hand.

Look up the word sinister in the dictionary or 
go online and do a search on dexter vs. sinister
for some really great information.
Even Wikipedia has a very interesting article on left-handedness.

Matt. 7:13-14 tells us to "Enter through the narrow gate. 
For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, 
and many enter through it. 
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, 
and only a few find it."

Is it simply a coincidence that the Roman font for the letter 'Y' 
has a broad left arm and a narrow right arm,
symbolizing the wide and narrow roads?

 I could go on forever about the symbolism of this cross,

because I'm really into such things.
But I know it can boring to some.
So I’ll let those interested persons do their own meditation on the symbol. 

I hope you will stop in and take a look at the "Y" Cross.
You don't see such a thing every day.

The bridge, with its 6 arches, is one of Europe’s most graceful Romanesque bridges.

Be sure to have your photo taken upon crossing! 

Ok.. that's it for today.

Buen Camino!

What to See in Pamplona

I’ve already done a blog on Pamplona, 

but I thought you might enjoy a short history and a list of things to see.

I’ve garnered all of this information from the internet.

History of Pamplona in a Nutshell

1 B.C. -  

 A general named Pompeyo created the city of Pompeyo, 

a political and religious center for the Roman empire.

714 A.D. -   

The Moors tried to take control of the city without success.  

 Carlomagno occupied the city and destroyed part of the city wall,

but following the battle of Roncesvalles in 778 he abandoned it.

6th and 7th centuries - 

The Visigothics tried to take the city, but failed

9th century - 

The city became Christian once again.

1164 -

The kingdom of Pamplona was created by the Jimena dynasty.

1423 - 

The kingdom was taken over by the French Capetos Dynasty, 

la Casa d'Evreux, 

with king Carlos III and Leonor de Castilla at the head 

unifying and consolidating the kingdom. 

The cathedral was built during this period.

15th century -

The kingdom of Navarra was conquered 

by the kingdom of Castilla and Aragon. 

16th, 17th and 18th centuries  - 

The monarchs and bishops fortified the city 

against further French attempts to conquer it.

1828 - 

The Navarran court was created.

1905 - 

Part of the city wall was taken down in order to expand the city southwards, 

creating green areas as part of the expansion. 

From 1964 

industrial development converted Pamplona into a more active and enterprising city.

Things to see in Pamplona

 THE CITY WALLS:

Built in 1512 in order to defend the city from the French, following the annexation of the city 

by the kingdon of Castilla and Aragon. Three quarters of the wall still remain.

Tthe part that is missing was pulled down in 1905 to allow the city to expand southwards.

The city wall became a national monument in 1937. Today it is well preserved and surrounded by gardens which you can stroll around. 
Within the walls you can see the following:

La Ciudadela (the fortress),   El Portal de Francia (the French entrance)  

El baluarte Redín, San Bartolomé Fort, The Bull Ring,

The San Nicolás entrance (Portal de San Nicolás), 

The Taconera gardens,The Antoniutti gardens

The new entrance (Portal Nuevo)

CIUDADELA: 

This is a fortress built in 1571 by the architect Verbon under the orders of Felipe II. 

Three out of the five forts remain. 

There are a number of interesting things to see within the Ciudadela 

such as where the arms were made and kept as well as cultural exhibitions.

 Pamplona's Citadel ceased to be a military post in 1964.

In 1971 the Ciudadela's five-pointed perfection was marred 

by the removal of the two bastions designed to defend against the city,

perhaps because the threat of Pamplonan residents rising against Spain 

to reclaim the glory of Navarre had passed:

New buildings and a major road were built on the newly opened ground. 

City officials queried residents as to what role they thought

the demilitarized fort should fulfill in 1971, 

and the answer was "green with restored historic buildings zone." 

Today the Ciudadela is a lovely gardened area 

where cultural events are regularly held. 

PLANETARIUM

The Pamplona Planetarium, opened in 1993, has the largest dome in the world, with a diameter of 20 metres. It has become an educational, tourist, scientific and cultural reference point, and receives more than 100,000 visitors a year.

The building, with its windowless, redbrick, cylindrical tower, is based on a funeral pantheon from the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, the Treasure of Atreus in Mycenae and the Moroccan tombs of Meknes. 

The projection room, Tornamira, named after the XVI-century, astronomer from Tudela, is the most spectacular part of the building. Its dome can seat audiences of up to 220.

The Planetarium also has two exhibition rooms, in which some of the city’s most important exhibitions are held. A large stained-glass window by Alberto Chueca with motifs from the zodiac is one of the highlights of the first floor. 

Horario de apertura:

• martes a viernes: 9:30 a 13:30 y 16:00 a 19:30
• sábado: 10:30 a 13:30 y 17:00 a 20:00
• lunes, domingos y festivos: cerrado

 SQUARES:

  Plaza del Castillo: 

This is the main square in the city. 

Located between the old and modern parts of Pamplona,

Plaza del Castillo is surrounded by arches and 17th and 18th century buildings. 

Originally built as a bullring in 1847, this plaza is the heart of Pamplona. 

The narrow streets of the towns old quarter extend outwards

from three sides of the square. 

Plaza de Toros
Pamplona’s present bullring, the Plaza de Toros, 

is situated just to the east and south of the square. 

Just off the east side of the square is Calle Estafeta, 

the narrow street where the bulls runs during the fiesta. 

During the rest of the year, this charismatic street, 

with all of its bars and tapas cafes, 

attracts university students and other visitors,

making it a lively hangout year-round. 

During the fiesta, this street is the most heavily visited spot in town, 

after the Plaza del Castillo itself.

  Plaza de Rodezno(Avenida Carlos III):

built in the middle of the last century in a Baroque style.

 ·  Plaza de los Fueros de Navarra: 

This is an oval shaped area with gardens, 

designed by Rafael Moneo and Estanislao de la Quadra Salcedo in 1970.

That tiny speck waving at the top of Puente de la Magdalena is me

  BRIDGES:

Puente de la Magdalena: This forms part of the Camino de Santiago.

Puente de San Pedro: Roman, remodelled in the middle ages.

Puente Rochapea/Curtidores: Pedestrians/vehicles can use.

Puente de Santa Engracia: Gothic - joins Rochapea and Curtidores neighborhoods.

Puente de Miluce: Roman - rebuilt in the 19th century.

    CHURCHES:

The Cathedral of Santa María is the city’s most emblematic monuments

and the one which houses the greatest number of historical and artistic treasures.

It was built in the XIV and XV centuries 

on the site of an earlier Romanesque building and,

before that, the Roman settlement of Pompaelo.

Its Neoclassical façade conceals a sober, Gothic interior, 

based on the French Cathedral of Bayonne. 

The cloister is its most prized feature. Inside you can see:

o   Tomb of Carlos III. The mausoleum of the king who united the city in 1423 and his wife, Leonor of Trastámara, is in front of the presbytery. It is a work in alabaster from Sastago by Johan Lome de Tournay from the Franco-Flemish, Burgundian school. It is considered one of the most important works of sculpture in Navarre. 28 figures of noblemen and clerics accompany the bodies of the monarchs. Beneath the sepulchre, there is an inaccessible crypt containing the remains of kings and princes buried in the Cathedral.

o   Anchieta’s Holy Christ. One of the Cathedral’s treasures and one of the most splendid images of Christ on the cross from XVI-century Spain. Juan de Anchieta’s masterpiece is in the chapel of Saint John the Baptist, first on the left as you go in. It was originally placed in the Barbazana Chapel. Legend has it that the world will come to an end when Christ’s hair touches his chest.

o   Barbazana ChapelThe images of Saint Peter and Saint Paul receive visitors to the chapel from either side of the door. The interior is presided over by the Virgin del Consuelo, a figure in polychrome stone of exceptional value. Special attention should be paid to the octagonal Gothic vault over the tomb of the Bishop Armando Barbazán (1319-1355), to whom this, the oldest chapel in the cloistral complex, is dedicated. It is one of the locals’ favourite places to hold weddings. The remains of several Pamplona Bishops rest in its crypt.

o   The Cloister. The Cathedral’s true treasure and one of the finest exponents of Gothic architecture in the world. Built between 1286 and 1472, few cloisters in Europe meet its stature. Each of its four sides is lined with six, wonderful, pointed arches, whose tracery evocatively plays with the light on the stone. Above, the overcloister; in the middle, a small garden. The five doorways are the most important sculptural group in the enclosure. 46 of the 56 keystones on the vaults in the cloister are decorated with relief work. They symbolise the world of the creation: the rivers of Paradise in the corners, the winds mark the cardinal points on the central vaults and, completing the allegory, the tasks of the year. The Cloister is a small museum showing the evolution of Gothic monumental and decorative sculpture, from the XIII century (the first capitals in the west wing) to the last third of the XIV. The decorative and iconographic repertoire is rich and varied, particularly on the capitals. It is not limited to religious themes, but includes day-to-day, popular and imaginary scenes.

 Iglesia de San Nicolás, the church-fortress of San Nicolás (XII century) 
was the main religious building in the burgh of San Nicolás. Its main purpose was to defend the burgh from its neighbours and, to this end, it was equipped with thick walls, wrought-iron railings and three watchtowers, of which only one, restored in 1924, remains. The church is set out in the form of a Latin cross with three naves. The layout, the pointed barrel vaults of the three side naves and part of the central wall are Proto-Gothic; the ribbed vaults of the central nave, the cross and the presbytery, with its crucifix and stained-glass windows, date from the XIV century. All of the reredos were removed following restoration work in 1982. The Gothic interior is barely reflected on the outside, bar two doors and parts of the high wall. The rest was concealed following Ángel Goicoechea’s (1888) renovation, which included the parish house and the façade on the Paseo Sarasate side, and the Neo-Gothic portico which lines the building on the north and the west. The bell tower and the merlons are the work of José Martínez de Ubago (1924). Inside the church, the great Baroque organ catches the eye. Dating from 1769, it is, together with the one in Santo Domingo, the most important organ in the city. It is installed in the choir.

Iglesia de San Cernin o San Saturnino was built in the 13th century 
by the kings of Navarra. (in that period they were French hence the French names). 
This was also a fortified church. It has an interesting Baroque chapel 
dedicated to the Virgen del Camino (13th century); 
the clock tower with a weathercock on top is now a symbol of the city. 
There is a plaque on the floor opposite the church 
to conmemorate the baptisms carried out by San Saturnino (Pocico de San Cernin).

Iglesia de San Lorenzo (Calle Mayor, 74): 
Built in 1901, by Florencio Ansoleaga, upon the remains of a Baroque church, 
this building is Neoclassic in style.
Inside you can visit the San Fermín chapel,
which is very important during the fiestas in Pamplona which carry the same name.

MUSEUMS:

Museo de Navarra: (Cuesta de Sto. Domingo, s/n).

Located within the former hospital - Hospital de Nuestra Señora De la. 

Some of its furniture from Navarra dates back to 1910.

It also has an art gallery;

items are chronologically presented over 4 floors 

dating from the Palaeolític period to the 20th century.

·Capilla Museo: 

A religious art museum (Renaissance and Baroque) 

It has a Baroque entrance;  

 the building is by Remiro de Goñi.

 Municipal Archive and the former San Juan Seminary: (c/ Mercado, 11). 

This Baroque building dates back to 1734. 

Since 1984 is has housed the town hall archives.

It has an interesting Neogothic chapel which since 1991 

has housed a museum dedicated to Pablo Sarasate.

 Museo Pablo Sarasate: See above - 

it tells the story of Pamplona's musical history since 1983.

Museo Diocesano: 14th century, 

located in one of the cathedral's outbuildings.

It holds sacred objects such as sculptures, 

pictures and gold and silver objects from Navarra.

IMPORTANT BUILDINGS:

The Town Hall: This emblematic Baroque building dates back to 1752, 
built by José Zay and Lorda. 
The San Fermines fiestas begin here with the famous 'chupinazo' (loud firework) 
which is set off here in front of crowds of people 
who fill the square in front of the town hall.

 Palacio de Navarra or Diputación (government buildings): 
(Av. Carlos III, 1 /Plaza del Castillo). 
 Neoclassic dating back to the middle of the 19th century. 
Built by José de Naguria. It is now the headquarters for the Navarran government. 
The altarpiece in the chapel and the gardens are interesting.
It also has a painting of Fernando VII by Goya.

Cámara de Comptos: 
This is a 13th century medieval palace which between 1525 and 1836 
was used as an auditor's office for the Navarran kingdom. 
Since 1980 it has been used as an Autonomous National auditor's office. 
It houses a collection of Navarran coins covering all periods.

Palacio de los Navarros Tafalla: (c/ Zapatería, 50). Baroque, 18th century.

·    The former Palacio de Justicia: 1892.
During the 20th century it was used as the Law Courts. 
Now it is used by the Navarran parliament.

Palacio Real and Archivo General de Navarra: (c/ Dos de Mayo).
Located in the old part, it dates back to 1190.
Built by Sancho VI el Sabio. 
During the middle ages it was used as a residence by kings and bishops(Carlos II, Felipe III, José Bonaparte). 
Until 1972 it was used as a military headquarters. 
It has recently been remodelled by Rafael Moneo.

 Palacio Redín and Cruxat: (c/ Dos de Mayo 31). 17th century. 
This is a Renaissance mansion which has been restored. 
It houses the Joaquín Maya Elementary Music School.

Palacio del Condestable: (c/ Mayor, 2).  
At the end of the 18th century it came into the hands of the Duke of Alba. 
Previously it had been used as a headquarters by archbishops and the townhall. 
It has now been restored and given special cultural recognition
and is currently used as a civic centre.

 Palacio Arzobispal (Plaza Santa María la Real, 1) 1736. 
 Baroque with a Churrigueresque facade.
It is now the residence to the Archbishop and holds the Diocesan archives.

SCULPTURE

 Polyphemus. José Ramón Anda 1993

Park of Antoniutti

This piece, which is some six meters tall and represents the great eye of the Cyclops Polyphemus, is a compendium of the artist’s constructive principles: 

the search for limits, symmetries, 

the beauty of bare material and the expressivity of emptiness. 

The work of José Ramón Anda reflects his skill and respect 

for the media (wood, iron, granite, steel, bronze) he uses 

to create synthetic works to express complex thoughts. 

Cypress woman. Alfredo Sada 1990

Vuelta del Castillo

This piece reveals the sculptor’s admiration for Brancusi, 

for natural forms in their pure state and the synthesis of primitive nature. 

The piece would seem to sprout proud from the earth or to be nailed into it, 

threatening and dangerous, albeit sensual at the same time. 

Formally, it is both categorical and simple. 

·         The Mari Blanca. Luis San Martín 1790

Park of La Taconera

This beautiful allegory of Beneficence or Abundance 

crowned a fountain in the Plaza del Castillo for more than a century 

until it was replaced in favor of a wooden bandstand in 1910.

First, it was taken to the Plaza San Francisco 

and then to the gardens of La Taconera in 1929. 

It is a design by the Madrid painter and Academy-member Luis Paret. 

  Kings of Navarre

Paseo Sarasate

Several initiatives were instigated in 1895 to make Paseo Saraste more attractive.

One of these involved six statues of Spanish Kings from Madrid’s Royal Palace 

These statues formed part of the architectural scenography 

designed by the architect Sachetti for Madrid’s Royal Palace 

during the reign of Philip V.

 Monument to the Fueros. Manuel Martínez de Ubago, 1903

Paseo Sarasate

Built by public donation, this monument was raised

to commemorate and defend the historical privileges of the Old Kingdom.

It was designed by the Pamplona-born, 

Modernist architect Manuel Martínez de Ubago. 

Five thick columns represent the five districts of Navarre. 

There are five bronze sheets which allude to the freedom of Navarre

and five sculptures by Ramón Carmona, allegories of History, 

Justice, Autonomy, Peace and Work. 

The female figure in bronze at the top of the monument is an allegory of Navarre. 

In her hands, she holds a broken chain, 

symbol of the freedom earned, and a parchment, the Foral Law. 

Carlos III. Francisco López Hernández, 2004

Carlos III, next to the Plaza del Castillo

Bronze sculpture of the King of Navarre, 

bearing in his hand the Privilege of the Union, 

by which the three burghs of Pamplona were united into a single, 

walled enclosure, a single city, in 1423. 

Some of the details, such as the Fleur-de-lis on his dress or the crown, 

were taken by the Madrid sculptor from the King’s tomb

in the Cathedral of Santa María. 

Monument to Ernest Hemingway. Luis Sanguino, 1968

Beside the Bullring

This bust was the Council’s tribute to the North American writer 

whose works brought worldwide fame to the city of Pamplona. 

A regular at the San Fermin fiestas, 

the monument shows the Nobel prize-winner

leaning on a barrier watching a Bull Run.

And, of course, the bust is located on the route of the Bull Run itself, 

before it enters the Bullring 

Monument to the Bull Run. Rafael Huerta, 1994

Calle Roncesvalles, near to the Bullring

This sculpture immortalizes a moment

in which two runners attempt to redirect a bull 

which has lagged behind the herd, 

a typical scene from the Bull Run. 

The work, in patined bronze, 

captures all of the movement and effort of the race. 

The artist reflects the emotion of the famous San Fermin Bull Run in this work.

Sancho III the Great. Alberto Orella, 2004

Park of la Media Luna

A sculpture recently unveiled to commemorate the thousandth anniversary 

of the King who extended Pamplona’s dominions to previously-unconquered areas.

The two shields represent the vast territories 

over which Sancho III the Great (1004-1035) reigned. 

The Pamplona-born sculptor, Alberto Orella, 

is a thorough, metaphysically-inspired artist, 

who surprises us here with a figurative piece. 

PARKS

Gardens of La Tocanera. The Park of La Taconera, created in around 1830, is the city’s oldest and most beautiful park.  You can enter La Taconera from different points and at any time because it is not a enclosed park and is open night and day. The most elegant entrance is the Gateway of San Nicolás, in Calle del Bosquecillo. A Baroque gateway based on an Arc de Triomphe, it used to be one of the six entrances to the walled city and was located, until 1915, near to the Church of San Ignacio. Only its façade remains. The remains of the old Gateway of La Taconera, demolished at the same time, are next to the track in the Park of Antoniutti.  Hidden in amongst the trees, visitors to La Taconera can discover the figure of the Mari Blanca. The figure was designed by Luis Paret to crown a fountain in the Plaza del Castillo. It dates from the end of the XVIII century and is one of the city’s most popular images.  One side of the gardens is taken up by moats, which house a small zoo enclosure with deer, ducks, rabbits and peacocks. The railings which open out onto Calle Navas de Tolosa are a favourite among the city"s children.  The most important monument on the central pathway in the gardens of La Taconera is of Julián Gayarre, erected in 1950 by Fructuoso Orduna and Víctor Eusa in honour of the famous tenor from the Valley of Roncal. The figure of Gayarre crowns a cylinder sculpted with bas-relieves around a fountain. 

FESTIVALS:

 San Blas. 3rd of February: 
The image of the saint is venerated in the Church of San Nicolás, 
where the faithful flock to have food blessed. 
On the day of the festival, the porches around the church are full of stalls 
selling pastries and sweets which have been blessed. 
This market has a long tradition in the city.

·         Santa Águeda. 4th of February: 
The eve of the day of Santa Águeda is celebrated on the 4th of February. 
On this day, young people pass through the streets of the city
singing popular songs in Basque about the life of Santa Águeda, 
while marking the rhythm with their sticks (makilas) on the ground.

San Fermin: The Running of the Bulls. July 6

o   See this link from the Council of Pamplona for all the information on the San Fermin Festival.
San Fermin

Holy Week

Easter Thursday: The Vow of the Five Wounds is commemorated on Easter Thursday. The original act took place in 1599 with the city devastated by the plague. In the face of the impotence of the population, it was decided that the symbol of the five wounds of Christ and the crown of thorns should be paraded through the streets of the city. Following the procession, the plague vanished.

 In commemoration of this, the Council attends the Church of San Agustín
in full ceremonial attire to celebrate the Solemn Act 
of the retaking of the Vow and the effigy memorializing the event, 
the Five wounds and the Crown of thorns, is carried in procession.

 Good Friday: The most representative act of Holy Week in Pamplona is the Procession of the Holy Burial. The image of Our Lady of La Soledad, better known as “La Dolorosa”, is carried from the Cathedral to the Church of San Agustín.

Saturday: The Return of la Dolorosa, from the Church of San Agustín to the Church of San Lorenzo takes place in the early hours of Saturday morning.

San Miguel de Aralar. Monday following Easter Monday. The image of Saint Michael Archangel arrives in the city on the Monday following Easter Monday. A crowd of locals and the "angelico de la Misericordia” await it in the Park of Antoniutti. When the image arrives, the group sets off for the Church of San Nicolás, where it is venerated. The angel visits several churches and official centres until the following Sunday, when the faithful bid it farewell.

8th of September: The Privilege of the Union is celebrated on the 8th of September. 
The Privilege was the treaty, signed by King Carlos III in 1423, 
by which the city, until then divided into three parts, was united under a single Council, each burgh losing its walls, mayors and particular income systems. A Solemn Mass with floral offering and prayer in the memory of King Carlos III the Noble and Queen Leonor of Trastámara is held in Pamplona Cathedral, where their remains lie at rest, to commemorate the union of the three burghs.

·         25th of September. The festival to commemorate the martyrdom of San Fermin is celebrated on the 25th of September. Different festive acts take place in Navarrería, near to the Cathedral, from Thursday to Sunday, the previous week. The fiestas get under way with the launching of a rocket by the "alcalde Txiki" (Little Mayor), a local child, and there is a whole range of activities over the next few days, including a procession and "Pobre de Mí" (Act marking the end of the fiesta).

29th of November. The 29th of November is a bank holiday in Pamplona
in honour of the city’s patron saint, Saint Saturnine, who baptised Pamplona’s first Christians, including its first Bishop, San Fermin, The day is celebrated with several institutional events, including a procession and a mass in the church bearing the saint"s name, attended by the Council, together with “giants”, a music band and a gala procession.

Christmas

Olentzero. The parade accompanying the Olentzero is on the afternoon of the 24th of December. This figure represents a charcoal-burner who, as tradition has it, comes down from the mountains on Christmas Eve to walk through the towns and villages, leaving presents for the children. This mythical figure is accompanied by children in traditional Basque costume, choirs, pipe-players, a living Nativity, different floats and “zanpantzares”.
The roots of this pagan personage, purposefully veneered by Christian fathers,
are explored in a most excellent blog at this link:
All about Olentzero

New Year’s Eve. 
The night of New Year’s Eve has become a carnival-like night of fancy dress and masks. The party is not officially organised, but rather a popular initiative which has taken firm root.

·     The Three Wise Men. 
The Parade of the Three Wise Men from the East is Pamplona’s most popular Christmas event. Children and grown-ups line the streets of the city to see the royal carriages and the Three Kings, Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar. The parade begins at the Casa de la Misericordia Old People’s Home and passes through the streets of the city to the Bullring.

I hope this short blog will give you some ideas about what you might see or do
while in Pamplona.
Please feel free to comment if you know of other items of interest
and I will add them.


Buen Camino!