Olazti / Olazagutía

Here, where the River Arakil cuts through a landscape of limestone, forest and industrial traces, time does not move in a straight line: it accumulates. Olazti is defined by the contrast between the hard material of industry and the softness of the vegetation descending from Urbasa, in a strange balance where the mountain and the factory share the same horizon. It is a place of threshold and transit, where the deep geology of Koskobilo, the lime roads and the working-class pulse of the 20th century coexist in a single mineral breath.

Olazti/Olazagutia general information

Olazti lies at the meeting point of Álava, Gipuzkoa and Navarre itself. Its municipal area, covering 19.6 km², acts as a natural hinge between the Sierra de Urbasa to the south and the Altzania and Otzaurte mountains to the north, with an average altitude of 547 metres.

The area has historically been a strategic transport corridor linking Vitoria, Pamplona and San Sebastián, a factor that has shaped its development. The oldest evidence of human habitation is found at the Koskobilo site, with remains dating from the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic periods.

From the 19th century onwards, the municipality underwent a decisive transformation with the arrival of the railway and the establishment of the Portland Cement factory in 1903, which cemented its industrial character. In 1846, it separated from Burunda to form its own council, establishing the current administrative structure.

What to see in Olazti/Olazagutia?

Olazti offers a landscape where archaeology, industry and nature intertwine along a single route.

• La Calera: A 19th-century lime kiln, the only one of its kind in Navarre, restored as a testament to traditional production methods.  
• Town Hall: A 1920s building that was the residence of the Echávarri family, linked to the origins of local industrialisation.  
• Clinker Club: A 1964 building designed as a leisure facility linked to the cement works, set within a natural environment.  
• Koskobilo Site: One of the main palaeontological sites in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, with remains from the Palaeolithic and fauna from the Lower Cretaceous.  
• Chapel of Nuestra Señora de Belén: Situated on the route of the ancient Roman road from Bordeaux to Astorga, with archaeological finds in the surrounding area.  
• Urbasa Mountains: A large natural park with beech forests and meadows, accessible via Puerto Viejo and the area around Salto de Aguas.  
• Batueko and Orna Springs: Sites linked to folk traditions and seasonal rituals, particularly on the night of St John’s Day.