Pasaia

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Pasaia
Pasajes
Pasaia
Pasai Donibane, Euskal Herria.jpg
Pasajes de San Juan 001.jpg
Pasajes de San Pedro - instalaciones portuarias 04.jpg
Lezo.JPG
Pasaia
Basque Country location map.svg
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Pasaia
Location of Pasaia within the Basque Autonomous Community
Spain location map with provinces.svg
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Pasaia
Location of Pasaia within Spain
Coordinates: 43°19′31″N1°55′16″W / 43.32528°N 1.92111°W / 43.32528; -1.92111
Country Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Autonomous community Flag of the Basque Country.svg  Basque Country
Province Gipuzkoa
Eskualdea Donostialdea
Government
  MayorIzaskun Gómez Cermeño (PSE-EE)
Area
  Total11.34 km2 (4.38 sq mi)
Population
 (2018) [1]
  Total16,128
  Density1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
Demonym Pasaitarra
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
20110
Official language(s) Basque, Spanish
Website pasaia.eus

Pasaia (Spanish : Pasajes) is a town and municipality located in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community of northern Spain. It is a fishing community, commercial port and the birthplace of the famous admiral Blas de Lezo and of the fashion designer Paco Rabanne.

Contents

Pasaia lies approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) east of Donostia's centre, lying at the foot of Mount Ulia and the Jaizkibel massif. The municipality numbers 16,056 inhabitants (as of 2008 estimates), clustering around the Bay of Pasaia in four nuclei, namely Pasai San Pedro, Pasai San Juan (or Donibane in Basque), Antxo and Trintxerpe, with each part showing distinctive features. [2]

History

Launch of a boat at the San Roque shipyards, Pasaia (1920) Pasaiako San Roke.jpg
Launch of a boat at the San Roque shipyards, Pasaia (1920)
Reconstruction of a traditional Basque whaling boat at the Albaola Maritime Culture Factory in Pasaia A reconstruction of the San Juan, a traditional Basque Whaling Boat.jpg
Reconstruction of a traditional Basque whaling boat at the Albaola Maritime Culture Factory in Pasaia

The first documented mention of this place, written in 1203, calls it Oiarso. The name was later changed to "Pasage" (first attested in the 15th century), which means 'port' in Gascon. Gascons had come to inhabit the area side by side with the Basque people at the beginning of the 13th century. [3]

It was a major source of revenue for the municipal coffers on the strength of its position on commercial sea routes. The Guipuzcoana Company used this as its main port, and there were as many as seven shipyards here in the mid-17th century. Historically the area was controlled by two competing baronies: Hondarribia, controlling Donibane, the right bank; and Donostia (San Sebastián), with jurisdiction over San Pedro, the left bank. Donibane separated from Hondarribia in 1770, and San Pedro separated from Donostia in 1805.

The district of Antxo was formed in 1890, when the Irun-Madrid railway came through. Trintxerpe, next to San Pedro, was the last district to form. Trintxerpe and Antxo eventually became a continuous urban strip with the eastern districts of Donostia.

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References

  1. Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. "Habitantes y geografía de Pasaia". Council of Pasaia. Archived from the original on 2009-03-19. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  3. "LOS GASCONES EN GUIPÚZCOA". IMPRENTA DE LA DIPUTACIÓN DE GUIPÚZCOA. Retrieved 2009-04-11. Article in Spanish