Cizur Menor
Camino Frances
Cizur Menor has been swallowed by Pamplona's suburban expansion, but it retains a village identity of its own. The albergue is run by the Knights of Malta — the modern descendants of the Hospitallers who cared for pilgrims along this stretch in the Middle Ages. It's a good operation with a communal dinner and a sense of ceremony that connects you to something older than the suburban sprawl outside.
The Iglesia de San Miguel Arcangel, a late 12th-century Romanesque church, sits at the center of the village. The doorway has a tympanum carved with the chi-rho monogram of Christ. The church was part of a monastery complex belonging to the Hospitallers, and though the monastery is long gone, the church stands solid.
For food, the Asador El Tremendo does a solid pilgrim menu. The nearest full supermarket is in Cizur Mayor, a short walk west, though a small shop in town covers basics. There's a fountain for refilling water bottles near the albergue.
The Romeria to the Santuario de Nuestra Senora del Perdon is held on Easter Monday. The village fiesta is in late September.
The Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem (later the Knights of Malta) established a monastery and pilgrim hospital here in the 12th century, managing the route between Cizur Menor and the Alto del Perdon. The Navarrese crown also held interests in the area — records mention royal property in nearby Zariquiegui as early as 1280.
When the Knights Templar were suppressed in 1312, the Hospitallers assumed responsibility for their operations west of here in Puente la Reina as well. The monastery was abandoned in 1836 during the Mendizabal disentailment, when church properties across Spain were seized and sold. The property was eventually recovered by the Government of Navarra, and in 1999 the Knights of Malta returned, reopening the albergue and resuming a pilgrim hospitality tradition that had been interrupted for over 160 years.
The camino leaves Cizur Menor on a track through farmland, climbing gradually toward the Sierra del Perdon. You'll pass through the abandoned hamlet of Guendulain before reaching Zariquiegui, about 6 km ahead. The ascent is steady but not steep at first, gaining elevation through open terrain with expansive views back toward Pamplona and the Pyrenees beyond. There's no shade and no water between Cizur Menor and Zariquiegui, so fill up before you leave.
Accommodation in Cizur Menor.
| Quiet Bright Room with Sunny Terrace 25€ Booking.com |
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| Hostal Ardoi Booking.com |
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| Albergue de peregrinos de la Orden de Malta 7€ 27 |
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