New Eibar built on the remains of medieval Eibar

We are now in the urban area that underwent the greatest changes after the destruction caused by the battle, particularly because it had a high concentration of wooden houses. Located very close to the market square and many low buildings, a direct hit from a shell or an aircraft meant that fire would spread very easily to adjacent houses.

The Augustine Recoletas Convent was also very close by in Errebal, housing different battalions helping to defend Eibar. This erased Eibar's characteristic medieval outline with its steep cobbled streets leading to the main door of St Andrew's church and in the Portalea area.

Italian Black Arrow observing the fire in the Ibarrecruz and Arragüeta area. The outline of Karakate can be seen in the background. © Kutxa photo library. Author: Pascual Marín. 

After the war, the Bidebarrieta area and its adjacent streets were greatly transformed replacing the old streets and the marketplace in front of St Andrew's main door. A completely different urban outline was built formed by a triangle of streets known during the dictatorship as Zuloagas, Generalísimo (currently Julián Etxeberria) and Bidebarrieta also creating calle San Agustín, a new space that joined the two traffic axes crossing Eibar heading up and downhill.

General view of destroyed calles Barrenkale, Plácido Zuloaga and Bidebarrieta. Picture taken from the parish bell tower. © Eibar Municipal Archive Author: Indalecio Ojanguren.

The new marketplace was built in the Errebal neighbourhood that had been completely destroyed, raised from the ground, and housing blocks went up in the middle part of Bidebarrieta, bought by many people working for the dictatorship. They could be built after covering the River Ego that currently flows under the main road. The building work was done by prisoners serving time in the barracks in Azitain. These prisoners were locals from Eibar with different ideologies such as socialists and exiled Castilian communists.    

Whilst the town was being rebuilt, an axis was created to align religious power (St Andrew's church), political power (Town Hall) and military power (Guardia Civil Headquarters), the latter very close to the city centre overlooking it from above the town.

Fire in the lower part of Eibar on 26th April 1937. Headquarters for the different powers were set up in the central area. © Kutxa photo library. Author: Pascual Marín.

Next, we'll head for the Urkizu neighbourhood, where Orbea used to stand. This company became the epicentre of Eibar's weapon industry, distributing arms in the first few weeks of the war and where people from all over Euskadi turned to for their weapons.  

Main image:
Barrenkale, Arraindegikale and Bidebarrieta areas after the bombing. © Eibar Municipal Archive. Author: Indalecio Ojanguren.