Hi! Welcome to the audio guide to our town.
We’re in the Plaza del Triángulo square, dividing line between the old and more modern
parts of Tolosa.
The Castile Arch is precisely one of the Old Quarter’s last standing remains. We also know it
as Laskoain Gate, after the valley of the same name. We know it has been inhabited for the
past 9,000 years. It seems incredible to look at it now, but in the Middle Ages, Tolosa was an
island surrounded by the Oria River and the Erretengibel tributary, which no longer exists
today, but ran along the course of what is now Rondilla Street, which you can see on the
other side of the square.
The island was encircled by a wall and had five gates for controlling the entry of goods and
people. At that time Tolosa held a strategic position as a thoroughfare between France,
Castile and Navarre.
Fires, fiestas, communities, battles, creativity... and soooo much life! We invite you in
through this gate to discover how the town has evolved in the almost 800 years of its history
and to understand why it is the way it is today.
And if you are visiting in spring or summer, raise your eyes as you walk beneath, to enjoy
the temporary garden in all its glory. Ongi etorri Tolosara! Welcome to Tolosa!
Continue to the next stop on your visit: the Tinglado Market.
