Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza | |
|---|---|
 Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Location of Karrantza within Biscay | |
| Country |  Spain |
| Autonomous community |  País Vasco |
| Province | Biscay |
| Comarca | Enkarterri |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Raúl Palacio (KZ) |
| Area | |
• Total | 137.87 km2 (53.23 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 155 m (509 ft) |
| Population (2018)[1] | |
• Total | 2,715 |
| • Density | 20/km2 (51/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 48891 |
| Website | Official website |
Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza (inBasqueKarrantza Harana, inSpanishValle de Carranza), is a town and municipality located in the province ofBiscay, in theBasque Country. It is located in thecomarca ofEnkarterri and it is the westernmost and largest (by area) municipality of the province.
Film directorVíctor Erice was born there.
The first recorded appearance of the toponym of Carranza is on theChronicle of Alfonso III, dated in the 10th Century, where it appears asCarrantia. According to the text,Carrantia was one of the towns known to be populated during the reign ofAlfonso I,King ofAsturias. The origin ofCarrantia comes from theCantabrian dialect, meaning "high rocks".[citation needed] FromCarrantia it would evolve to Carranza, the currentSpanish toponym.Karrantza is the Basque toponym, an adaptation of Carranza following the Basque orthographic rules, and it is the official name of the municipality since 2001.
The first known vestiges of the human presence in the valley of Karrantza are somelithic tools, from the lateMiddle Paleolithic.[2] In Karrantza is located the sanctuary of Venta Laperra, the oldest of the entireBasque Country, with several forms ofPaleolithic art. There is evidence of ancient pastoral activity, as well as art forms belonging tohunter-gatherers from theNeolithic and theBronze Age.[2]
The oral traditions tells of the presence ofRomans in the lands of the valley, which were interested in the exploitation ofgalena from the Ubal mountains. Diggings effectuated in some of the caves within the municipality revealedRoman pottery. In 1903 more than one hundred Roman coins were found, all dated from 238 to 260.[2]
The first records about the valley of Karrantza are from the 8th Century, when theKing ofAsturiasAlfonso I was conducting a series of resettlements on the Atlantic region of theIberian Peninsula, as they were mentioned in theChronicle of Alfonso III one century later.
The valley of Karrantza was incorporated to theLord of Biscay in the 12th Century. It belongs to the territory of theEnkarterri, which was itself incorporated to Biscay in the 13th Century.
Karrantza is located in the westernmost part of theEnkarterri region and is the largest (by area) of all the municipalities ofBiscay. Karratza is 54 kilometers away from the head of provinceBilbao and limits at north by theautonomous community ofCantabria, at east mostly with the Cantabrian exclave of Villaverde de Trucios, and the Basque municipalities ofTurtzioz andArtzentales, at south with theprovince of Burgos and at west with the tiny municipality ofLanestosa and the Cantabrian community.
The Karrantza CD football club is the most important sport club. It is in regional categories of Basque football.
43°12′21″N3°21′48″W / 43.20583°N 3.36333°W /43.20583; -3.36333
