Gates in the wall of Bermeo
In 1334, King Alfonso XI, while besieging Gaztelugatxe, ordered to surround Bermeo with a wall and to build it he gave 2000 marabedis a year for five years.
1. SANJUANPORTALE
This gate is located in the north of the old town. It is the only one standing of the seven gates of the wall of Bermeo. The wall was built in the 14th century, and this gate also dates from that time. It shows a pointed arch on the outside and a lowered one on the inside.
The exterior of the gate has been called Portaloste1 in the 17th and 18th centuries. There were some houses attached to the wall.
This gate is the starting point for the Arane district and Sanjuanbide (towards Gaztelugatxe). Pointing this path, there have been three footprints carved in stone placed in as many places along this route: the first in Sanjuanportale itself; the second, around the Itsasalde farm; and the third, on the Sanjuanoñatze road, on the way down from Burgoa to San Pelaio. According to tradition, San Juan did this route from Bermeo to Gaztelugatxe in three steps.
*Footprints
On the Sanjuanbide, there have been three footprints carved in stone placed in as many places, because San Juan is said to have walked from Bermeo to Gaztelugatxe in three steps.
2. BEIPORTALE
It was at the north end of today’s Nekazari street. In 1800 it had to be repaired:
“Componer la puentte del porttal de Bacas ó su arco”
And in 1886 it was demolished:
“Demolition of the arch of the Portal de Vacas (arch and wall). The wall will be demolished up to the front line of the house nº 11 on Calle de Labradores.”
*Yoke
At least since the 15th century, the farm districts of Bermeo were churched, including Almika and San Pelaio. The neighborhoods of Aguirre and Arane, on the other hand, belonged to the town, and the gate to the town for farmers, livestock and products was Beiportale or “Gate of cows”
3. SANTABARBARAPORTALE
It was at the western end of Santa Barbara street (today the section of Nardiz tar Jon kalea).
This gate had to be repaired in 1797 and was demolished in 1833. Previously, in 1831, the desirability of removing the gate was indicated, because it prevented the ventilation of the street:
“It is agreed and ordered that the mural arch that is found at the end of Calle de Santa Barbara be demolished as soon as possible because it is necessary for the ventilation that the town will enjoy for its better health.”
In fact, as can be seen in the 1820 plan by Juan Bautista Belaunzarana, this gate, instead of facing the entrance, had it from the north wing, thus leaving the street that provided access in the shade. It was the starting point of the road to Bakio: from Dolareaga and San Martin, going up through the Aguirre district and, at the top, going down through the countryside of Zumarreta.
*Presses, txakoli and cider
In front of this door, there is a place called Dolareaga (press), because the presses used to make cider and txakoli, to crush apples and grapes (documented in 1334) were there.
4. ERREMEDIOPORTALE
It stood at the western end of Erremedio street until it was demolished in 1827. This gate is usually the starting point of the Bilbao route. This road, after passing Erreginazubi near Adoberia, went up through Almika, went down through Laubidi in Mañu to Infernuerreka and continued over the Oiangorta bridge towards Bilbao. It was the largest gate that gave entrance to the city. The gate has had different names over the centuries: Portal de Burgos in the 14th century, and Portal de la Carcel Vieja and Portal de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios in the 17th and the 18th centuries. Erremedio street has been called Karzeloña until the middle of the 19th century. Apparently, as the name suggests, inside the structure of this gate, there was the village jail.
*Bilbao road
The road from Bermeo to Bilbao left from Erremedioportale. Passing Erregiñazubi and going up Almika from Laubidi to Mañu, then crossing Infernuerreka in Oiangorta, to go towards Mungia.
5. SANFRANTZISKOPORTALE
It was on the southwest side of the wall, between Sanmigelportale and Erremedioportale. Although the gate is gone, its area is still called Portale today. In the 14th century, the foundation document of the convent of San Francisco mentions it as puerta de los ferreros:
“en un logar que llaman Erreten que es entre la puerta de la dha villa que dicen la puerta de los ferreros por do salen al arrabal do se labran las nabes”
In fact, when excavations were carried out around 2022, traces of slag were found there, a sign of the presence of blacksmiths. In the 19th century, in addition to the name San Francisco, Guadalupe and Socorro were also used.
* Blacksmiths
In the 1357 foundation document of the convent of San Francisco, it is said that the convent was close to the “Gate of the Blacksmiths”. Furthermore, when excavation work was carried out in the area, traces of slag were found there, a sign of the presence of blacksmiths.
6. SANMIGELPORTALE
It was at the place where the steps of San Miguel are, on the western side of Lamera. From the descriptions, it seems that it is the gate that appears as Sagarbarri in the census of the 16th century. In the census of 1511, when listing the houses by streets, it is explained that one of them extends like this, “En el Portal de San Juan fasta la Puerta de Sagarbarrico 10.” In 1514, the same: “En el Portal de San Juan fasta la puerta de Sagarbarria”.
It was the street that went down from Sanjuanportal, Goiko plaza and Denderiakalea to Sanmigelportale. On the other hand, in the 16th and 17th centuries, Dendarikalea as Sagarkalea is mentioned three times: in 1589, “calle de Sagar”; in 1624, Sagarcalle12 and in 1643, again Sagar calle13. Denderiakalea, today’s Etxebarria tar Kresentzi street. In 1777, repairs were made to this gate:
“Pago por la obra del arco que se ha ejecutado en el portal de S. Miguel” This gate was demolished in 1829.
*Ships and shipyards
The rocky ground near Sanmigelportale (Artza) was the landing place for boats until Lamera was built. In front were the shipyards and the anchorage of Gazteluoste. This area was the starting point of the road to Gernika.
7. ERRENTERIAPORTALE
* ICONS
In each panel, we have placed an icon that identifies the gate with its most distinctive function
THE AUTHORS
Documentation: Bitor Uriarte and Asier Romero
Illustration: Robert Garay
