Museum of stelae of Abaurrea Alta.

Meet the Museum of stelae of Abaurrea Alta, a different, educational and entertaining museum in the heart of the Navarrese Pyrenees.

The Museum of stelae of Abaurrea Alta (Abaurregaina in Basque), is one of the many attractions that keeps the Aezkoa valley of the Navarrese Pyrenees, a museum, in which the visit brings much more than it seems at first glance. Also known as the Garden of Stelae, this Navarrese space shows us everything related to the “Hilarriak” (stelae in Basque), a component of our history and culture that hides the secrets of the people who keep underground.

At the back of the village church, on the north side of the church of San Pedro, we find the old cemetery of Abaurrea Alta, a centennial cemetery that nature appropriated, and that today has been recovered to know “in situ” all the mysteries that surround these unique ancestral sculptures, a cemetery converted into a museum. Thanks to the efforts of the local residents and the contributions of the different official organizations, today it is possible to contemplate about twenty discoid stelae in their original position and orientation, a great collection of art, culture and history that brings us closer to the way of life of our ancestors. The medieval stelae that we find in this museum in Navarre, propose us to get into the skin of historians to let our imagination fly in order to discover the identity of the person to whom each stele corresponds. Will we be able to discover the identity of any of the 25 people who rest underground?

Although it may seem a very distant custom in time, these funerary sculptures were used until the days of our aitites and amamas (grandfathers and grandmothers in Basque), a very recent ritual that we recommend you to contemplate in first person.

Thanks to the staging of this museum and the great work of its director, Nayara, we can say that a visit to the Museum of the stelae of the Aezkoa Valley has become an obligatory stop on any trip to the Pyrenean valleys of Navarre. The flowers, plants and the landscape that has been created through the narrow streets that form the labyrinth of this museum perfectly capture the metaphor of life and death.

How to get there: Getting to the museum of stelae is as easy as getting to the town of Abaurrea Alta, as the church that houses it is located next to the road that crosses the town. The entrance to the museum is in the portico of the church of San Pedro, up some stairs on the left hand side, you can’t miss it.

Where to park: Although the village is small there are several areas where you can park, in our case, we left the car almost in front of the church, on the sidewalk in front. Remember that the esplanade next to the church is privately owned, so it is not possible to park. From the museum, they recommend us to park in front of the Bar Pirineo, a recommendation that we second from here.

Labyrinth: The staging of the Museum of stelae of Abaurrea Alta, recreates a labyrinth full of stelae through a great landscaping work that recreates the different moments of the cycle of life and death. A very appropriate metaphor that in addition to reflecting the reality of each stage provides us with a great aerial view of the museum.

Museum: We arrived at the Museum of Stelae of Abaurrea Alta on the stroke of a pen, late in the afternoon, when it was about to close, but Nayara, our hostess, welcomed us with open arms, inviting us to walk through the labyrinth and discover its most fascinating secrets. We started the visit with a brief introduction to the amazing world of the stelae to continue discovering one by one the remaining 24 pieces of the permanent collection of the museum. We should point out that although only 24 pieces make up the current collection of this Navarrese space, the warehouse and the portico of the church store another 15 in its interior.

Each and every one of them has its peculiarity, some in perfect condition others barely unrecognizable, but all with great beauty and historical richness. The stars and the different elements of astronomy occupy a large part of the stelae in the museum, making clear the great importance of these elements in the culture and history of the Basque people. Although the stelae were not only used to bury people of the Christian religion, the strength of this religion imposed religious symbols such as the cross of Christ on all of them. Depending on the purchasing power of the person, the stele was more or less elaborated, with more or less details, a fact that helps us to discover some of the characters that rest here. All the stelae that are surrounded by a metal plate have been preserved in the same place and orientation in which they were discovered, respecting to the maximum the essence of the original cemetery.

Most of the stelae were created between the 13th and 19th centuries, and the date of their creation can be easily recognized by the symbolism and shape of each one of them. The fact is that the craft of stone carving and stonemasonry advanced with the passing of time, acquiring new and better techniques of elaboration.

The stelae are protected by plants and flowers, the natural environment of any ancient cemetery. Remember that the visit to the Museum of stelae of Abaurrea Alta is always guided, a fact that helps us a lot when it comes to understanding every detail of the stelae that compose it. Once the visit is over we can get lost by ourselves inside the labyrinth making the visit more fun, will you be able to get out of this maze of corridors?

Location: The Stelae Museum is located in the village of Abaurrea Alta, in the heart of the Navarre Pyrenees, a stone’s throw from paradisiacal places such as the Irati Forest or the Arpea cave. A municipality that besides being the southernmost village of the Aezkoa Valley, holds the title of the highest village in the Basque Country (1,040 meters), a characteristic for which many call it the “Balcony of the Pyrenees”.

A small urban center, in which nature takes on great prominence, and is that in the Navarre Pyrenees green is imposed on the rest of tones that capture our eyes, a great gift for our eyes that makes clear the natural value that surrounds it.

Attention: Nayara, the person in charge of the museum, showed us her little corner with great enthusiasm and passion, inviting us to show our creativity trying to guess the different geometric symbols that we found on the stelae of the museum. A great job that adds a plus to the visit. Eskerrik asko!

Barandiaran: Jose Miguel de Barandiaran (1889, 1991), better known as Aita Barandiaran (Father Barandiaran in Basque, because of his priestly title) was one of the most important anthropologists, ethnologist and archaeologist of the Basque people, a great man who contributed more than we can explain to the Basque culture. He was passionate about his people and shared his thoughts and theories about the stelae with many other scholars of his time. A work that unfortunately they did not manage to carry out in the village we are dealing with today, but that we use to decipher the stelae.

What to see: In general terms, the valleys of the Navarrese Pyrenees offer beautiful pictures of villages with cobbled streets surrounded by green and lush forests. A picture that is repeated continuously in this territory. Our recommendations are simple, Orbaitzeta arms factory, contemplate the granaries of Aezkoa, stroll through the thousands of routes of the Irati Forest, walk through the beautiful villages of Navarre and of course the cave of Arpea, a gift for the senses.

However, if we do not want to move from the village of Abaurrea Alta, we can visit the many charms that surround it with Nayara, you can consult with them any questions you may have.

TurismoVasco Tiketa: Our accreditation “TurismoVasco Tiketa” has gone to the window of the Museum of Stelae of Abaurrea Alta. A museum that has shown us the great role it plays in research, promotion and protection of the history and culture of Euskal Herria. An added value that together with the particular theme of the museum and the composition of the same makes us proud to recommend this Basque space to all our readers.

This is culture and history of Euskal Herria, this is the Museum of stelae of Abaurrea Alta, this is the example of how a village of only 130 inhabitants can show the world how with effort you can recover the heritage that time and nature had hidden, come to the Navarrese Pyrenees and enjoy!