Goñi lies in the Sierra de Andía and offers two distinct highlights for a stay: architectural history in the village, and dolmens and trails in the surrounding landscape. The churches, houses and local legends offer tangible points of reference for the village’s history. Hiking options include the Goñi–Leziza route and connections to the meadows of Andía.
Churches, House Details and Building Dates
The old church of San Ciriaco stands on higher ground and has a stark, fortress-like appearance. It was built in late Romanesque forms between the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Its semicircular apse is one of the church’s architectural features. Taken together, its location, appearance and construction date point to an early phase in Goñi’s architectural history.
The parish church of San Antonio was built in 1935 to replace the older church of San Ciriaco. San Antonio has a silver processional cross made by the silversmith Gabriel de Ochoa in the early 17th century. The cross is therefore much older than the church it belongs to. The two churches represent different periods in the village’s architectural history.
The houses also feature details from different centuries. Goñi has houses with a style of construction typical of the 16th century and large, round-arched entrance portals. Some houses retain windows with a double ogee arch. Several have 17th-century cornices decorated with carved corbels. One exceptional house also preserves medieval fittings on doors that belonged to the parish church of San Ciriaco. Those interested in architecture can look beyond the churches and take in individual features of the houses, too.
Legend and Two Places Called San Miguel
Goñi is regarded as the birthplace of the legend of Teodosio de Goñi. The hermitage of San Miguel is associated with this tradition. It preserves a 16th-century coat of arms bearing the inscription GONI. Another building in Goñi also bears the name San Miguel: the new Larrainagusi Palace is also known as the Palace of San Miguel. The hermitage and the palace are two distinct points of reference when exploring local history and its place names.
Dolmens and Trails in the Sierra de Andía
Mount Txargein is 971 metres high and lies next to Goñi. The source of the Barranco de Artazu is also near the village. These features of the landscape complement the architectural history with notable landmarks in the surrounding area. The Trekua Goñi Dolmen is part of the Andía dolmen sector. The Peña Blanca Dolmen lies in a meadow near the pastures of Andía and can be reached from Goñi.
The Goñi–Leziza route passes through varied landscapes of forests, open areas and rocky terrain. One trail leads out of the forest into open country near the meadows of Andía. On the ascent, the path passes through a beech forest and over uneven ground. These details describe different aspects of the trails and landscape; they do not automatically make the individual places part of a single route.
A 2.5-kilometre stretch can be covered by vehicle and leads close to the heart of the sierra. Ground conditions and vehicle access can change, so check conditions before setting out. When planning where to stay, it helps to decide on your main focus first: buildings in the village, dolmens in the sierra or trails through changing landscapes. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Goñi, you can base your search on the excursions you actually plan to take.
Discover more destinations: Aizpún, Tajonar, Ochagavía, Azcona, Genevilla, Yesa, Aspurz, Gorraiz.
For the main travel overview: Navarra.
