Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

The Stone of Aia

Aiako Harria is the oldest mountain in Gipuzkoa: it was born 250 million years ago. At that time, some magmatic rocks emerged and transformed the outer materials. Due to erosion and time, the granitic mass of three peaks known as the Stone of Aia, with a height of 800 meters, became visible. In the surroundings of the stone

giant, there are the caves that were once the refuge of the ancient man, the caves of Avance. According to legend, this is where the Gentiles lived. Hunting tools from hunters from 30,000 years ago have been found in the caves.

The Stone of Aia is the main geological asset of the Basque Country and is structured in alternating bands of different materials. Among other things, there are important veins that contain mining materials. This is witnessed by the Arditurri mine: in Roman times, silver was mined; in the Middle Ages, iron was mined; in the Modern Age, iron was mined; and in the 20th century, fluorine spate was mined. The mine was finally closed in 1986. In the

landscape the remains of the mine have been stopped: meazulos, landfills... Also the “Castle of Inglelesa”, which was the home of an Englishman who exploited mines in the Middle Ages.

Aiako Harria and its surroundings are now a natural park with a total of 6,913 hectares, covering the lands of Bidasoaldea, Oarsoaldea and Donostialdea in Gipuzkoa. This last stretch of the Pyrenees has wide valleys, steep

slopes and cliffs full of waterfalls. The rainy climate has also flooded the area with streams.

The lands are bathed by natural springs. Part of the landscape are the Añarbe reservoir and the surrounding threadbare beech forest; and the Endara reservoir and

threadbare beech forest. The area is inhabited by Eurosiberian fauna, 170 species of vertebrates: the brown vulture, the small eagle, the serpent eagle... Aiako Harria is home to the largest poultry community in Gipuzkoa.