This one may be of interest to only me…

Driving along the highways in the heart of Bizkaia, there is a sign that appears on the side of the road that simply says Urberuaga, but there is nothing really there. It turns out that there used to be a quite renowned spa in the area, as the naturally thermal and gaseous waters were known to promote good health. It is an interesting story of the rise and demise of a once-prominent institution.

• The name Urberuaga, and by extension Uberuaga, comes from the words ur (water) + bero (hot) + aga (place of), thus meaning place of hot water or hot springs.
• Urberuaga de Ubilla is a neighborhood of Markina-Xemein, situated between the mountains Itoñamendi and Ekarrein, straddling the banks of the Artibai River. The neighborhood, which officially got its name in 1980, has never had more than a few hundred people.
• The spa of Urberuaga de Ubilla was built between the years of 1870 and 1872. The thermal waters, distinct from other springs, had long been known to have medicinal properties, primarily for digestive and urinary issues. In fact, the waters were first mentioned in the 16th century. People had learned about the medicinal properties of the water and came to the area to drink it. Before the spa was built, a bathhouse was constructed in 1825.
• The spa closed in 1872 because of war, but reopened and expanded: in 1879, Los Arcos, the first grand building, was erected; in 1882, the even larger Casa Francesa was built; and, in 1888, the Casino was constructed. The spa boasted, amongst other things, a room where sprayed water could be breathed, an elegant hall with nickel-plated fixtures, and mosaic floors that offered a touch of hygiene and elegance. The spa could accommodate 350 guests and had two large dining halls that could hold 90 and 130 people, respectively.
• The waters had a temperature of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The spa consisted of three springs – Santa Águeda, San Juan Bautista, and San Justo – with a flow of about 2.5 gallons per second. The water itself was full of bicarbonate and nitrogen gas which provided some of its beneficial properties. In fact, the quantity of nitrogen gas was quite high which is part of what made these waters unique.
• In 1983, the spa was destroyed by a series of floods. After the spa was closed, they continued to bottle the mineral waters to sell but that was abandoned in 1993. There were some short-lived plans to construct a hotel on the site of the spa, but those were also ultimately abandoned. Today, the site is overgrown with vegetation and barely recognizable. A colony of bats has made the derelict buildings its home.
• There is a second Urberuaga spa, this one in Algzola, Elgoibar, Gipuzkoa. Built around 1846 on the grounds of the old farmhouse Etxe Zuria, it closed in 1976, though the site continues to bottle the water.

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

Primary sources: UBILLA-URBERUAGA. Auñamendi Encyclopedia. Available at: https://aunamendi.eusko-ikaskuntza.eus/en/ubilla-urberuaga/ar-133553/;URBERUAGA DE UBILLA, Balneario de. Auñamendi Encyclopedia. Available at: https://aunamendi.eusko-ikaskuntza.eus/en/urberuaga-de-ubilla-balneario-de/ar-136282/; Urberuaga, el Balneario abandonado (Markina) by Gullivervan; El agua del balneario de Urberuaga podría abastecer a los 7.800 vecinos del Artibai by Mirari Artime, El Correo; El balneario abandonado de Urberuaga, Piensa en un lugar; URBERUAGA, Balneario de. Enciclopedia Auñamendi. Available at: https://aunamendi.eusko-ikaskuntza.eus/es/urberuaga-balneario-de/ar-136281/; Urberuaga de Ubilla, Estudio de sus aguas nitrogenadas by Doctor Don José Hernández Silva, Madrid, Imprenta de Ricardo Rojas, 1895