The Roman Bridge of Estella on the Camino de Santiago
The Roman Bridge of Estella and the Camino de Santiago
On the Camino de Santiago, between Pamplona and Logroño, in an area situated between the mountains and the lowlands, lies Estella.
Estella, or Lizarra in Basque, is an ancient city and a key point on the Camino de Santiago, founded in 1090 by Sancho Ramírez.
In the 15th century, it was known as "Estella the Beautiful" and later as "The Toledo of the North". Today, it still lives up to its name: a Romanesque city that boasts palaces, noble houses, churches, convents, and bridges. Highlights include the Church of San Pedro de la Rúa, San Miguel (declared a Cultural Heritage Site in 1931), the Holy Sepulchre Church, the Palace of the Kings of Navarre, and the Prison Bridge.
One of the most important points on the Camino de Santiago in Navarre, as previously mentioned, is The Prison Bridge, also popularly known as Puente Picudo. It crosses the Ega River, a tributary of the Ebro River. The current bridge, built in the late 19th century, replaces the original medieval bridge from the 12th century, which was destroyed in 1873 during the Carlist Wars and was rebuilt following the original design.
In Estella, you can wander its streets, encountering pilgrims eager to explore the old streets of Francos and Jews. Any excuse is a good one to taste traditional dishes such as seasonal vegetables, pochas, chickpeas, truffle, ajo arriero, lamb chilindrón, and roasted suckling pig. Typical desserts include alpargatas (puff pastry cakes), rocas del Puy, sanchicos (filled chocolates), and Idiazabal-style cheeses. As Aymeric Picaud, a 12th-century monk, once said, "Estella is a city of good bread, excellent wine, abundant meat and fish, and every kind of happiness."
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