The Fort

Next to La Barca stands Azagra’s Fort, a modest 19th-century defensive building with strong symbolic value. It was built in 1874, during the Third Carlist War, only a few weeks after the great landslide of La Peña. Its purpose was to watch over and defend the Ebro crossing from the Navarrese bank, controlling movement through the historic ferry port. The small building has loopholes and defensive openings typical of the period and preserves the memory of uses linked to controlling the river crossing. After decades of deterioration, the Town Council restored it through a project that repaired the roof and walls, removed interior additions to create a single space and opened a large glazed surface towards the river. Since its recovery, the Fort has served as an exhibition room and space for local activities, adding a cultural focus to La Barca in dialogue with the landscape. The ensemble of walk, recreation area and Fort turns the riverside into an itinerary of historical interpretation: from the medieval port to 19th-century control, and from there to its contemporary role as a meeting place and open-air leisure area.