Igúzquiza

Igúzquiza (Iguzkitza) is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain. Igúzquiza is 4 km from Estella and 50.03 km from the capital of the community, Pamplona. It covers an area of 18.02 km² (roughly 6.95 miles) and Its population in 2023 was 	301 inhabitants.

Municipality
The municipality of Igúzquiza is composed of the councils and places of Ázqueta, Igúzquiza, Labeaga, and Urbiola. This district has functioned as an independent municipality since 1846, the year in which the municipality of Valle de Santesteban de la Solana, to which the entire set of localities belonged, ceased to exist. This included the present municipalities of Arróniz, Barbarin, Luquin, and Villamayor de Monjardín.

Lordship
the ancient lordship of Igúzquiza was perpetually held by the noble Medrano family.

The lord of Igúzquiza was one of 74 nobles who had a seat in the noble estate of the Courts of Navarre within the ancient nobility. The House of Medrano is considered the oldest of nobility, and as such was summoned to the noble estate of the Courts of Navarre in the year 1580.

Coat of arms
Iguzquiza uses the same arms as the shield of Navarre, except for the central emerald in the middle.

As reported by the Grand Encyclopedia of Navarre: 'This coat of arms was characteristic of the valley of Santesteban de la Solana, and when Arróniz, Villamayor, Barbarin, and Luquin formed independent municipalities, the remaining populations continued to be administratively united and used the arms of the entire valley.'

Geography
It borders to the north with the district of Metauten and Allín, to the east with Ayegui, to the south with Dicastillo, the Montejurra communal land, and Luquin, and finally, to the west with Villamayor de Monjardín and Abáigar. The Ega River crosses the territory on the northern part, also serving as the boundary with Metauten, situated on its right bank.

Toponym
It is believed that the toponym 'Igúzquiza' derives from the Basque 'iguzki,' which means 'sun,' and the augmentative suffix '-tza.' Therefore, its meaning could be translated as 'The Sunny Place.'

Architecture
The Hermitage of the Immaculate was built in the 17th century. The parish church of San Andrés de Igúzquiza was built in the 12th century, under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pamplona y Tudela and deanery of Estella-Viana. The parish church of Igúzquiza, which bears the name of the apostle San Andres and boasts valuable Romanesque lineage and the chi-rho or labarum of Constantine; housed in its presbytery are several military trophies, flags, weapons, gauntlets, helmets, and spurs, probably donated by the Medrano family upon returning from an unspecified warlike enterprise. These trophies can only be attributed to Medrano, as there is no memory of another lineage in the locality of Iguzquiza who has held such a high or martial position as Medrano.

The Palace of Vélaz de Medrano was built in the 11th century, then rebuilt in the 15th century, it is the most significant monument in Igúzquiza, overlooking the town and municipality.