1. The Castile Arch

We’re in the Triangulo 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, inhabited since 9000 BC. Today it seems hard to believe, but in the Middle Ages, Tolosa was an island surrounded by the Oria River and the Erretengibel tributary, which ran along what is now Rondilla Street, the one 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’re visiting us in spring or summer, raise your eyes as you walk under the arch to see the temporary decorative garden installed for the Special Flower and Plant Fair. It is designed every year by local artists. Ongi etorri Tolosara! Welcome to Tolosa!

Continue to the next stop on your visit: the Tinglado Market.