Monolith to Defiant Basques: A Tribute to Battle Victorious

Monolith to Defiant Basques: A Tribute to Battle Victorious

In Nafarroa Garaia, Orreaga, rises a skyward obelisk - a testament to the Basques who defied Charlemagne. But this monument has a hidden message waiting to be uncovered.

Twenty meters tall, the Populus Baskonia monument is carved in two halves - granite below, copper above, in honor of the Basques, their dancers, and those who lost their lives for the Basque country. A hidden inscription reads: 'Lehenitzikoak, bailarako jendea irudikatzen du; bigarrenak, inguruko jendea; eta hirugarrenak, Euskal Herriko jendea' - 'The people, dancers, and Basques'. The monument was built by Multzoa Patxi Aldunate and was installed in 2022, with its inauguration taking place on August 9th, 2023.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

Written by Nik Frost

Discuss this with the author and others

No comments yet. Be the first to start the conversation.