The Basque Country & Northern Spain

On one of the Alliance Schlumberger tours we traveled northeast of Bilbao toward the coast and visited the small towns of Bermeo and Gernika.

Bermeo was founded in the 13th century and is the most important fishing port in the Basque Country. It is near the island of Gaztelugatxe (literally "castle rock") on which is the monastery San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, dedicated to John the Baptist. It dates from the 10th century or possibly earlier.

Another small city in the area is Gernika (or Guernica). From the Middle Ages, the town, like others in Basque Country, traditionally handled their local affairs democratically with a type of parliament. In Gernika’s case meetings were held from at least the 14th century and for many years after under a large oak tree. Later, meetings took place in a purpose-built structure, the most recent being The Assembly House built in 1833 on the grounds of the tree. The tree remains the symbol of the traditional freedoms of the Basque people and the continuity of their culture. (Of course, the original tree and all of its successors are long gone, but a new one is growing on the grounds.)

Gernika is famous for being destroyed by bombing in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War by Germany and Italy at the behest of Franco and the Nationalists. The attack was controversial because it involved the bombing of civilians by a military air force. It was seen as a war crime by some historians, and argued as a legitimate attack by others. The number of dead was also disputed, from 1657 to as few as 153. It was another example of Germany (and Italy) using the Spanish Civil War to test weapons and techniques of war.