La Barca de Azagra

La Barca is a landscape filled with history. Just over one kilometre from the town centre, the bank of the Ebro was home from the Middle Ages to a river port with a tow ferry that carried people, animals and goods between Azagra in Navarre and Calahorra in La Rioja. This crossing, also known as a pontoon or customs point, was a key communications hub in the riverside economy and a symbol of exchange between kingdoms. The ferry experienced both war and nature: it was sunk during the Civil War to prevent escapes and movements, and a flood of the Ebro in 1964 swept it away, bringing the service to an end. Today the site retains its magnetism: a riverside strip with trees, meadows and open views of the riverbed. The Town Council has arranged the area with a pedestrian walk, wooden railings, lighting and a parallel cycle lane that connect the recreation area, restaurant and recent motorhome parking area with 8 spaces, water supply, drainage and electricity. In season, La Barca brings together fishermen, families and walkers who connect with local trails and the PR-NA 209 route. It is, in essence, a gateway to Azagra’s living Ebro, where it becomes clear why the river was at once route, frontier and resource.