Today we walk from Uterga to Cirauqui. After breakfast, our day begins with a special treat as we visit one of the jewels of the Camino, the enigmatic 12th-century Romanesque Church of Santa Maria de Eunate, located near the town of Muruzábal. This rather unusual, slightly irregular octagonal church is surrounded by arches build centuries later that may have been part of an original cloister.
As we continue walking, we pass through Puente la Reina, where two major routes of the pilgrimage, the Camino Francés and the Camino Aragonés, converge. The town is known for its namesake Romanesque bridge, which was constructed in the 11th century to facilitate the passage of pilgrims and was later expanded and restored over the centuries. After arriving in town we stop for a homemade Fresco Tours picnic to enjoy some local fare before continuing on our way.
We may encounter the work of self-taught, local sculptor, Koké Ardáiz Loyola, as we walk through Óbanos and Puente la Reina. Koké typically uses wood and dried tree trunks to create his pieces, including:
- The monument to the fourteen victims murdered by the fascists at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in the Óbanos cemetary.
- The monument to the Layas Race (stilts race), celebrated every September in Puente la Reina.
We continue on our way to Cirauqui, where we pass by the Church of San Román, known for the layers of elaborate carvings over its Romanesque entrance portal. After another full day of exploration, we can relax in Estella and enjoy dinner before heading to bed to rest our feet for tomorrow!
