Despite their small country and the relatively small number of people, Basques have left their mark all across the globe. This is reflected in place names and one prime example is Durango. Durango is a relatively small village in the heart of Bizkaia, a larger city in Mexico, and a quaint town in Colorado.

• The original Durango is in Bizkaia. We don’t know exactly when Durango was founded, but the name Durango was mentioned in documents by at least 1051, when it was part of the Kingdom of Nafarroa, though the town was probably founded 100 years later. Right around the turn of the century (about 1200), it became part of Castilla. In the 1400s, Durango was a part of the War of the Bands, during which time a number of tower houses were built in the town and the surrounding area. It was also during this time that the Heresy of Durango occurred.
• The 1500s were a rough time for Durango. In 1517, it was hit by plague. 1544 brought flooding followed by fires in 1554. And, in 1597, plague ravaged the town yet again.
• Today, the town has about 30,000 people. While the town is possibly the oldest in Bizkaia, it doesn’t look it as it was devastated by bombings during the Spanish Civil War and had to be rebuilt.
• In Mexico, Durango refers to both a state and a city. As a state within Mexico, Durango is the 8th largest, boasting a population of nearly 2 million people. Before the Spanish arrived, the area was settled by the Huichols, Coras, Tepehuanos and Tarahumaras native peoples. The first Spaniard arrived in 1532. However, it wasn’t until 1546 when silver was discovered that the region attracted attention. Francisco de Ibarra, a conquistador from Eibar, Gipuzkoa (though some sources say he was from Durango) came and conquered the area.
• The city was founded in 1563 by Ibarra and is the capital of the state. It began as a mining town. It became an official city, receiving its coat of arms, in 1630. During the Mexican War of Independence in the early 1800s, a number of key players were executed in the city. In 1911, under the leadership of the Arrieta brothers, the city joined the Mexican Revolution. In the 1950s, the city started growing a film industry.
• Durango, Colorado, is a town of about 20,000 in the southwest corner of Colorado. The town was created in 1880 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad as a stop along the way to Silverton, Colorado and to service the local mining activity. The city was named after the Mexican Durango by an ex-Governor of Colorado.
• It isn’t clear where the name Durango comes from. One theory says it comes from the Latin Turanicus, from the times the Romans were in the area. Or, it could come from a number of Basque names such as Duranco, Urazango or Padurango. Until the 1500s, the Basque town was known as Uribarri de Durango, meaning the “new town of Durango.” Some references say that Durango comes from Urango meaning “water town” or “well watered place,” but it isn’t clear if this is a true etymology or an invention.
• All three Durangos are sister cities.

A full list of all of Buber’s Basque Facts of the Week can be found in the Archive.

Primary sources: See the links in the article. See also  Durango. Auñamendi Encyclopedia, 2025. Available at: https://aunamendi.eusko-ikaskuntza.eus/en/durango/ar-45727/