User:Haizeaelvira/sandbox/Wikipedia contribution

Together with Anne Manero, we have chosen to improve the English article of Biarritz. In our opinion, it is quite poor. We are going to improve the page taking the information from the Basque article.

We have divided the work into two: from point 1 to 3 and form point 4 to the final. We are not going to take all the information, but all the most relevant information. I am going to work on the second part.

This is part of our improvements:



Prehistory
Stones from Middle Paleolithic have been analysed and, therefore, we know that there were already habitants in the Prehistory of Biarritz.

Middle Ages
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
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 wether the main language of the village was Basque or French.

The first lighthouse of the village was built in 1650.

City
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.

Economy
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.

Languages
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

 * 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
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
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
Two festivals of cinema are made in Biarritz:
 * Festival of Latinoamerican Cinema of Biarritz.
 * International Festival of Audio-Visual Programs (FIPA)

Civil buildings

 * 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

 * 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

Rocks

 * Rocks of Biarritz. Every year they have and erosion of 70 centimeters

Beaches

 * Biarritz has six beaches: Miramar, Big, Old Port, Coast of the Basque, Marbella and Milady

Gardens

 * 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

Schools
The city has two public schools (Villa Fal and Jean Rostand) and one private (Immaculée-Conception).

High Schools
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.

Festivities
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.