Templates edit
Our Wikipedia contribution will consist on improving the English Page of Biarritz
- The contribution will be carried out by my colleage Haizea Elvira and I, and it will include the following sections, which we will translate and improve from the Basque Version. In our opinion, the Enlish page is quite poor. We are hence going to improve the page taking the information from the latter Basque page and adding it to the Enlish page. However, we are not going to take all, just the most relevant information.
- My personal contribution will include the first 3 bullet points, from the "Name" of Biarritz up to the section of "Arrival of the Surf."
I started creating a draft of the contribution. As we can already find information in english about the name, geography, climate and general data about Biarritz, I started correcting the historical part. Therefore, our improvements are:
History edit
Prehistory edit
Stones from Middle Paleolithic have been analysed and, therefore, we know that there were already habitants in the Prehistory of Biarritz.
Middle Ages edit
The oldest mention appears in the cartulary (Baiona’s Golden book, from 1186). They write Bearids, and some years later Beiarrids. The first urban town was at the south, at the top and at the interior, where the church of San Martin is located. In fact, this church is the most ancient.
Whalers edit
Most of the documents, records and protocols gathered in the archives from Biarritz mention referrals about whale hunting. Indeed, this was the most principal local activity. Consequently, an image of a whale appears in town hall’s shield, and a boat formed by 5 sailor wearing a beret and prepared to throw the harpoon. This inscription is written on it:
« Aura, sidus, mare, adjuvant me. »
(The air, the stars and the seas are helping me)
After the 7th century, they have had many confrontations with Baiona, with the king of the Kingdom of England – Lapurdi was under their control – and with the Bishop of Baiona. Almost all of the disputes were about whale hunting. In 1284, their right of hunting whales was admitted again by the authorities of Lapurdi and the Duchy of Aquitaine.
In the Middle Ages and Early modern period, the watchtower already watched the sea from the port of Biarritz “La Humade”, waiting for the sight of a whale. Whenever they saw one, they burnt wet straw to create significant smoke and, this way, communicate the good news to the fellow countrymen. Nevertheless, they threw that tower.
In the 16th century, as a consequence of the attacks suffered in this are or for other reasons, the whales scaped to other places. Therefore, whale hunters from Lapurdi crossed the Atlantic ocean chasing them, and they spend some time in the Labrador Peninsula and in Newfoundland (island). Later, instead of hunting whales, they started fishing cod in Newfoundland. One century later, due to the ban of fishing in the coasts of America and the hard competence of English and Dutch fishermen, the fishing boats from Biarritz were reduced and nowadays there is no more fishing activity in these areas.
Even though the population from Biarritz was originally Basque, it is hard to assert whether the main language of the village was Basque or French.
The first lighthouse of the village was built in 1650.
18th century edit
Biarritz is an independent municipality, until 1784, a clergyman, four sworn and the city was governed by twelve deputies. Deputies were democratically chosen: there were four neighbourhoods (Portua, Bustingorri, Hurlaga and Alto), and three deputies has to be chosen from each of them. However, deputies were chosen by the abbot and sworn. Since they had no Town House, they gathered in a ward near the church. As they did not have place for all the attending people, they made their meetings in the cemetery. That time, Biarritz was composed by around 1,700 citizen.
In the mid-18th century, the city began an essential and irreversible changing, and nowadays reality is the result of those steps: a worldwide known bath-city.
19th century edit
From 1784 onwards, after the French Revolution, taking a bath at the sea was not only a behaviour of those who were fool, sea-baths were fashionable. In 1808, Napoleon himself broke prejudices and took a bath on the Basque Country’s coastal water.
In 1840, the Town House or Municipality of Biarritz started to organize an initiative in order to promote and attract those who loved most the sea.
From the 11th century, Biarritz was a village dedicated to whale hunting, until Victor Hugo, found it in 1843. This writer made to Biarritz the following compliments on his book “Alpeak eta Pirinioak” :
« I have not met in the world any place more pleasant and perfect than Biarritz. I have never seen the old Neptune throwing joy and glory with such a force in the old Cybele. All this coast is full of humming. Gascony’s sea grinds, scratches, and stretches on the reefs its never ending whisper. Friendly population and white cheerful houses, large dunes, fine sand, great caves and proud sea, Biarritz is amazing. My only fear is Biarritz becoming fashionable. Whether this happens, the wild village, rural and still honest Biarritz, will be money-hungry. Biarritz will put poplars in the hills, railings in the dunes, kiosks in the rocks, seats in the caves, trousers worn on tourists. »
Either for good or for bad, Victor Hugo’s prophecy was fulfilled. Biarritz planted poplars, tamarinds, hydrangeas, roses and pitosforuses on the slopes and the hills, set railings on the dunes, covered moats with elegant stairs… and polluted with the speculation of the land and the money-hunger.
Humble and proud tourists praise Biarritz’s coast, from the beach at the limit of Bidarte (Plage des Basques), to the cape of San Martin. There it can be found a white lighthouse 44m tall, built in 1834 replacing the one Louis XIV ordered to build. Various hotels were made, as well as a municipal casino, the club Belleuve and the casino were opened in 1857, the thalassotherapy house, and wonderful luxury houses. Luxurious store shops from London and Paris were also set up in Biarritz, and 36 small newspapers were published in the village.
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Nevertheless, the situation changed throughout when Napoleon III’s wife, Eugenia de Montijo, took in 1854 a two month holiday in Biarritz. Her husband built her a palace with an E look (nowadays is the Hôtel du Palais), and Biarritz became the summer place for the aristocracy from all over the globe. That time Biarritz was the summer place for the kings of Europe, "Queen of beaches and beach of kings.”
Originally, there were two settlement sites: the neighbourhood that was around the church of San Martin, and the fishing-port defended by Belay or Ferragus Castle. The coat of arms was a whaler, which was a symbol of the town.
Opened in June 1893, Biarritz’s salt-baths were built, designed by the architect Lagarde. From the gatzagas of Beskoitz and after passing a 20 kilometres pipe, a water ten times saltier than the sea was used. The baths were closed in 1953 and demolished in 1968.
The presence of French Republic’s authorities and the fact of having launched the Paris-Henday train, led Biarritz become one of the most outstanding tourist areas from all over Europe. The queen of the beaches became the beach of the kings: Oskar II from Sweden, Leopoldo from Belgium, tireless traveller, the empress of Russia, Nikolas II’s mother, Elisabeth from Austria, who had a tragic fate, Natalia from Serbia, and her ill son Alexandro, Jurgi V from England, Eduardo VII and England’s queen Viktoria, Alfonso XIII from Spain, aristocrats, rich people, actors, from Europe and South America… In the summer-time, high-status people gathered in Biarritz. Therefore, the number of population remarkably increased, from 5,000 citizen to 18,000. At the end of the 19th century, 50,000 vacationers were gathering in Biarritz.
Belle Époque edit
The big stall named Biarritz Bonheur, created in 1984, enlarged twice (in 1911 and 1926), and still running, became the temple of luxury and fashion. In the beginnings of the 20th century, most of its workers spoke in English.
The arrival of the surf edit
In 1957, the American film director Peter Viertel, together with his wife Deborah Kerr, was in Biarritz working on the film The Sun Also Rises. One of his friends coming on an airplane from California used for the first time a surfboard in these seas, and these were the first steps for surf, not only in Biarritz, but also in Europe. Thereafter, Biarritz became one of the greatest surf-spot in Europe.
City edit
The most renowned monument is the nature. So, it is recommended to have large walks as Leopold of Belgium did, and to be impressed with what we see from Saint Eugenia Square and its surroundings.
The temple that has the same name is neogothic, and it was a desire of Eugenia of Montijo to construct it. Inside the church, the statue of La femme á la fleur stands out, made by Real of Sarte. The little sport and tourism port can be found apart from the reefs of the astonishing rocks. It is a new port. The previous port now is a little cove with semicircle form, it is part of the city and the swimmer sunbath there, protected from the north-west.
One must-do visit is the Rocher de la Vierge rock. It is a reef that penetrates in the sea, which can be reached by a metallic passage. On the top of the rock, a Virgin Mary and a cross can be found, in memory of the disappeared because of the sunk of the boat La Surprise, sunk in the 19th century. From this curious bay window anyone can see the coast of Iparralde, the Aiako Harriak, the basque acropolis of Larrun, Jaizkibel Mountain and other several mountains of Gipuzkoa.
In front of the rock of the Virgin Mary, the Sea Museum can be found, opened in 1933. It is an important hydrobiology research centre and it also has an aquarium. From the Bellevue casino on, from west to east, there is the Big Beach. In front of the Hótel du Palais it is joined with Miramar Beach, and it reaches until the San Martin cape. On the sides of the famous beach, there are huge rocks. Furthermore, there is a wide promenade.
On the seafront Hotel du Palais can be found. As other several buildings of the Victorian age, hotels give fame to Biarritz. Russians have an orthodox temple, Jewish a synagogue and tourists several hotels, dancefloors and crowded cafeterias. The beautiful boulevards full of attractive streets and shops of the shore, leads us to idleness.
Politics edit
Majors edit
| Mandate | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 1788-1789 | Pierre Moussempès | |
| 1813-1814 | Pierre Moussempès | |
| 1864-1881 | Pierre-Paul Jaulerry | |
| 1881-1884 | Alcide Augey | |
| 1884-1888 | Alexandre Larralde-Diustegi | |
| 1888-1895 | Alcide Augey | |
| 1895-1904 | Félix Moureu | |
| 1904-1919 | Pierre Forsans | |
| 1919-1929 | Joseph Petit | |
| 1929-1941 | Ferdinand Hirigoien | |
| 1941-1944 | Henri Cazalis | |
| 1945-1977 | Guy Petit | |
| 1977-1991 | Bernard Marie | |
| 1991-2008 | Didier Borotra | |
| 2008-2014 | Didier Borotra | |
| 2014-2020 | Mixel Veunac |
Demography edit
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Economy edit
Although Biarritz’ economy was based in the fishing before, nowadays it has a modern economy due to the metropolitan location of Baiona-Anglet-Biarritz. Together with Baiona and Anglet, Biarritz takes part in the management of the BAB Airport. The most important economic activities are:
- Spa tourism
- Sport (golf, surf and rugby)
- Thalassotherapy
- Industry. The most important industries are the following:
- Séguier, French publishing house
- Dassault Aviation, fabricant of fuselage for Falcon plains.
Culture edit
Languages edit
As Anglet and Baiona, since they are located in the limit of Gascony and Basque Country, it is in doubt if in the Middle Age and the Modern era was Basque or Gascon the main language of the city. According to the book Atlas Linguistique de Gascogne, Biarritz is taken as a Gascon town. But in 1863, Luis Luciano Bonaparte located the frontier of Basque in Biarritz, which in some neighborhoods was without any doubt the most used language. However, in the 20th century French was the official and main language. From the 90th decade on, the Townhall of Biarritz has taken the Basque culture and the Basque language, and also it has promoted it. Nevertheless, the Gascon has been promoted by private institution, for instance the group of Gascon culture Ací Gasconha [19]
Museums edit
- Sea Museum. Constructed in 1993 in the rock of Atalaia, it is an Art Déco building. It has a huge collection of sea animals and birds.
- Museum of Chocolate
- Asiatica, museum of the Eastern art. Art from India, Tibet, Nepal and China can be found
- Museum of the History of Biarritz. Located in the Angelican Church of Saint Andrew in the 1980 decade
- Cité de l’Ocean et du Surf, opened in 2011.
Music and dance edit
The city has the Ballet of Biarritz, which is the choreography location of France. Furthermore, it has the cultural centre Atabal and the chorus Oldarra, created in 1946.
Theatre edit
The emperors Napoleon III and Eugene of Montijo pusieron de moda the sea-theater on the Old Port neighborhood. Nowadays, the light works made by Pierre Bideau can be seen at night in the clift.
Cinema edit
Two festivals of cinema are made in Biarritz:
- Festival of Latinoamerican Cinema of Biarritz.
- International Festival of Audio-Visual Programs (FIPA)
Reknown goods edit
Civil buildings edit
- Hôtel du Palais or Eugénie House
- Building of the Hotel of England, built in 1870 by Louis Moussempés
- Natasha House
- Sacchino or Castel Biarritz, house of Natalia of Serbia
- Plaza Hotel
- Cassino of Biarritz, from Art déco style
- Lighthouse, built in 1834 in San Martin cape
- Villa Black or Black House. Built by Alphonse Bertrand between 1880 and 1895
- Goëland House, which from 2003 on is a hotel
- Françon Castle
- Boulard Castle
- Pavilion of England
- Fishermen House, in the port
- The formerly health resort in the Old Port
- Miremont sweet shop
Religious buildings edit
- Imperial Chapel
- Saint Martin church
- Saint Eugene church, built between 1898 and 1903
- San Alexandro Nevski and God’s Mother Protection Church
- Sinagogue of Biarritz
Parks edit
Rocks edit
- Rocks of Biarritz. Every year they have and erosion of 70 centimeters
Beaches edit
- Biarritz has six beaches: Miramar, Big, Old Port, Coast of the Basque, Marbella and Milady
Gardens edit
- Biarritz has 120 hectare and two lakes (Marion and Muriskot)
- In the centre, in front of the Midi station, apart from the public garden, there are Lahuze and Mazon gardens can be find
Infrastructures edit
Sports edit
Education edit
Schools edit
The city has two public schools (Villa Fal and Jean Rostand) and one private (Immaculée-Conception).
High Schools edit
Malraux High Schools is the only one in Biarritz. There is also a tourism high school in the border of the Western neighborhood of La Négresse.
Transport edit
Twin cities edit
Festivities edit
The major festivities are celebrated in November 11, for Saint Martin. That day, the new gentleman of the Confrérie de l’Operne de Biarritz are proclaimed. Barnacle is their logotype and people who work in favor of ecology are chosen Since Biarritz is a city based in tourism, there are acts during the whole summer, such as pelota festivity, equestrian competition, concerts and recitals, folklore festivals, water acrobatic ski, sea trips, performances, rugby competitions, bullfights and night parties.