# Buruntza > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Buruntza > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Buruntza.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buruntza > Source revision: 1355623185 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Buruntza** (441 m) is a minor mountain in the [Basque Country](/source/Basque_Country_(historical_territory)) (Spain) 12 km south of [San Sebastian](/source/Donostia-San_Sebastian). Several towns lie at its foot, namely [Andoain](/source/Andoain) (S), [Lasarte-Oria](/source/Lasarte-Oria) (N) and [Urnieta](/source/Urnieta) (E). The mountain stretches out in a north-east to south-west disposition, starting at the pass of *Azkorte* (hermitage) on to a quarry at the southern end, by the neighbourhood *Buruntza* in [Andoain](/source/Andoain). The mountain rises opposite to [Adarra](/source/Adarra) (E) and stands in turn to the east of the mountain Andatza (562 m). There is a big cross fixed at the summit. The [Oria River](/source/Oria_River) flows north along **Buruntza'**s north-west face over a close valley run by the N-1 E-5 E-80 main road on both banks of the river. Actually, this tract was a race-car circuit between 1923 and 1935, its sinuous layout bearing witness to that origin. On the south-eastern side ([Urnieta](/source/Urnieta), [Andoain](/source/Andoain)), the outer reaches of the [Urumea](/source/Urumea) valley extend out south-east as a corridor, leaving the prominence of **Buruntza** towering right in the middle as a perfect vantage point over all the surroundings. ## Access points and trails The main access point lies at the chapel *Azkorte* (210 m). A fence pass must be crossed to gradually gain height through a trail heading roughly south-east. The trail is well signposted. The access to the summit by the south-eastern face (Andoain) has been altered on account of the expansion of a quarry. A mud track departing from the quarry cuts across the north-eastern face at middle height, with the trail turning into a concrete road on its final stage sloping down to the fringes of the neighborhood Oria (Lasarte-Oria). ## Landscape and quarries **Buruntza** is at the southernmost tip of a minor rigdeline where Urgonian limestone outcrops stand out at different spots all along.[1] Geological features like this might have rendered all the area attractive to stone extraction, the mount being dotted all around with quarries widening ever more, in a way that even the current *Azkorte* hermitage shifted out of its former place to its present location of the *Burundain* pass on account of a stone extraction site being established (1973). Also, a second hermitage revered in [Andoain](/source/Andoain), *San Roke*, stands not far from the edge of the southernmost quarry. As for vegetation, [Monterey pine](/source/Monterey_pine) (*Pinus radiata*) for logging prevails, especially on the steep north-east face; willow trails behind in number. Incidentally, legend has it, mythological character *Sanson* hurled a stone against the people of [Arano](/source/Arano,_Navarre) with a willow-made sling, but slipping on a dong the stone fell short, so originating the present-day ridge of [Aballarri](/source/Adarra) (meaning 'stone of the sling'). ## Archeological findings and history **Buruntza** holds a relevant archeological site on the slopes near the summit. It consists of an enclosed settlement of the [Iron Age](/source/Iron_Age) (first millennium BC), where remains of cereal (wheat, oats, barley) and leguminous plants (broad bean, pea) have been found, among other vestiges. This data have provided the basis for a newly released and breakthrough theory establishing the ancient boundaries between the [Vascones](/source/Vascones) and the [Varduli](/source/Varduli) at the east of the mount (in [Leitzaran](/source/Leitzaran)).[2] At the beginning of the [Civil War](/source/Spanish_Civil_War) (1936), a fiery battle between Republicans and Francoists took place in **Buruntza**. Republicans set up a defence-line, the mount being of strategical importance to keep in check [Lasarte-Oria](/source/Lasarte-Oria), [Andoain](/source/Andoain) and the communication lines between [San Sebastian](/source/San_Sebasti%C3%A1n) and [Bilbao](/source/Bilbao). Its slopes were heavily entrenched by Republicans, so it took three days of fighting to Francoist troops to take over the summit. ## Events - At the beginning of May, the Holy Cross or *Santa Kruzak* festivity is held at the site of the *Azkorte* hermitage on a yearly basis. After the mass, punters of the event engage in traditional music, dance, snacks, drinking and eventually a popular meal. ## References 1. ["Albian sediment-filled fissures on an Urgonian carbonate platform as kinematic indicators of extension, Westernmost Pyrenees"](http://www.sociedadgeologica.es/archivos/geogacetas/Geo41/G41Art07.pdf). Estratigrafia eta Paleontologia Saila. Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 1. ["Leitzaran: la frontera de la Edad de Hierro"](http://www.diariovasco.com/20071005/cultura/leitzaran-frontera-edad-hierro-20071005.html). DV. Retrieved 2008-05-25. Site in Spanish --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Buruntza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buruntza) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buruntza?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.