Undiano combines medieval architecture with a history of gypsum and salt production. Routes from here also lead to the Ermita de Santa Águeda or along the Vuelta a la Cendea de Zizur. The village also has a public swimming pool. When choosing a stay, it is especially worth considering whether you would like to discover Undiano through its architecture and former industries or by exploring its different routes.
San Martín de Tours: 14th-century church
The church of San Martín de Tours is a medieval building dating from the 14th century. Its single-nave layout is divided into four sections covered by groin vaults. The polygonal Gothic choir retains its original rib vault. This places two different types of vault side by side within the same building: the groin vaults in the nave and the surviving rib vault in the choir. Together with the Gothic choir, this layout defines the church’s architectural character.
Gypsum and salt in the village’s history
Undiano was an important center of gypsum production. A specific connection with Pamplona dates back to 1411, when gypsum from Undiano was transported for repair work at the royal palace. Salt making was also part of the village’s historic economy. North of Undiano, in a hollow, there were around eighty salt pans and an associated well. The approximate number and historical context are part of this picture of earlier production. Gypsum and salt offer different perspectives: gypsum was transported for a royal building project, while the salt pans were located north of the village.
Ermita de Santa Águeda and its history
The Ermita de Santa Águeda stands to the right of Puerto del Perdón, near the Ipasate site. It has a simple rectangular floor plan. An inscription on the door lintel dates the hermitage to 1795; it was restored in 1950. The two years mark different milestones: 1795 is the date given by the inscription, while 1950 is the year of the restoration. These two distinct dates help place the hermitage’s history in context.
Routes, a circular trail, and landscape views
The circular route from Undiano to the Ermita de Santa Águeda leads from Undiano to the hermitage and back. The return follows the GR-220 to Undiano. Along the circular route, there are views of the Pamplona Basin, northern Navarre, and the Pyrenees of Navarre and Huesca. The route description thus combines a specific destination with a return leg and several named landscape areas.
The Vuelta a la Cendea de Zizur is different: this circular route passes through Undiano, also known as Undio, among other places. The section between Astráin and Undiano follows a path along the slopes of the former Puerto del Perdón. The climb to Undiano passes through the Artxuria area to a point just below the summit of Alto de Ubani, at 715 m; it involves an ascent of almost 200 metres. The routes can therefore be compared by their specific features: the route to the hermitage leads to a named destination and back, while the Vuelta places Undiano within a circular route. Landscape views and elevation figures add to these different perspectives on the routes.
Discover more destinations: Tirapu, Ablitas, Cárcar, Urdániz, Legaria, Jaurrieta, Lodosa, Garaioa.
For the broader travel overview: Navarre.
