McGresty
as it happens
Atarrabia
Over the years I have found that riding a bus to the end of it's line has proven quite interesting. Sometimes it was a waste of time, but mostly I enjoyed the trip and what I found there. So, in the mid to high 90's heat, I set out one Sunday morning on the number 19 bus and rode it to the end of the line.
Atarrabia, also known as Villava (in Spanish) is very near Pamplona. After leaving the bus I stopped for a quick look around and noticed the sign for the town across the road. Thinking it more interesting than the one on the other side, I went into it. This place is nearly 900 years old. There is the 13th-century Church of San Andrés, and the town is a hub for traditional Basque culture. Oddly enough a woman stopped me going into the church, after some more research I found out why.
So it is not really a church anymore just a convent. It has become a nunnery for the Ursulines of Jesus, Our Lady of Peace (?). Apparently these nuns teach girls and women as well doing community work. At least they have not gone into some convent to hide from civilization like many do. Pamplona has some huge convents, the women (thousands of them) go in and spend the rest of their lives inside, never coming out. The Franciscan Nuns in Pamplona are another matter.
There appear to be very few bits of the old town left, a house and part of an old wall. I walked around for bit but could find nothing other than quite new high rise apartment buildings and some more under construction.
I found it a bit frustrating to locate all the other parts of the old town. The temperature was rising quickly and I had walked around a lot so decided to grab the bus back. I missed the 19 bus (1 per hour on Sundays) so grabbed a different one going toward the central area of Pamplona, temperature was now very hot and humidity high.
Atarrabia, also known as Villava (in Spanish) is very near Pamplona. After leaving the bus I stopped for a quick look around and noticed the sign for the town across the road. Thinking it more interesting than the one on the other side, I went into it. This place is nearly 900 years old. There is the 13th-century Church of San Andrés, and the town is a hub for traditional Basque culture. Oddly enough a woman stopped me going into the church, after some more research I found out why.
I took this photo and some woman started shouting at me from the window. This is the other end of the church building.
So it is not really a church anymore just a convent. It has become a nunnery for the Ursulines of Jesus, Our Lady of Peace (?). Apparently these nuns teach girls and women as well doing community work. At least they have not gone into some convent to hide from civilization like many do. Pamplona has some huge convents, the women (thousands of them) go in and spend the rest of their lives inside, never coming out. The Franciscan Nuns in Pamplona are another matter.
There appear to be very few bits of the old town left, a house and part of an old wall. I walked around for bit but could find nothing other than quite new high rise apartment buildings and some more under construction.
A more recent old bulding.
This wall is made with the old stone of Pamplona.
I found it a bit frustrating to locate all the other parts of the old town. The temperature was rising quickly and I had walked around a lot so decided to grab the bus back. I missed the 19 bus (1 per hour on Sundays) so grabbed a different one going toward the central area of Pamplona, temperature was now very hot and humidity high.
A bit odd really.
Jul 21, 2026
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