Ea, Biscay
Ea is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain.
The town has three boroughs: Ea, Bedarona and Natxitua. The main one, Ea, is the most populated of the municipality, which has a total population of 870 (2007).
Geography
Ea is located on the coast, 50 km northeast from Bilbao, in the bottom of a tiny estuary that breaks through the cliffs of the Bay of Biscay. The Ea river crosses the town, which has three bridges, the oldest one being the so-called "Roman Bridge" (featured in the coat of arms) that is really a medieval one. There is a small fishing port, but the predominant activities of the town are agriculture, silviculture and cattle, with many farms disperse around the typically basque countryside.
History
The area was a rural one, centered on the parishes of Natxitua and Bedarona. In the 16th century, fishermen from both villages founded a new permanent settlement at the bottom of the tiny estuary of the river Ea. After two centuries, the settlement became far more important than its two neighbouring villages, so finally a new municipality was created, uniting the two former villages and with capital in Ea. As a remainder of its past as two separated parishes, Ea has two main churches, one at each bank of the river.
Gallery
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Estuary, looking to the Bay of Biscay.
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Rural coast landscape from Bedarona.
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The fishing port and the beaches.
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Closeup of the Roman Bridge.
References
- Ea town council
- EA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa) (Spanish)
Coordinates: 43°22′53″N 2°34′57″W / 43.38139°N 2.58250°W