At the foot of Peña Amaya is Amaya, a small town located in the western margins of the province of Burgos and next to the lora de Peña Amaya, a massif of 1,377 meters high. At present there are about 30 inhabitants who are dedicated to agriculture and livestock.
A historic city
The primitive city of Amaya was located on the lora of Peña Amaya. There is evidence of the existence of a settlement since the Bronze Age. Already in the Ancient Age, Amaya is one of the most important forts of the Cantabrians during the Cantabrian Wars (29-19 B.C.). Once taken by the Romans, it became part of the Republic first, and later of the Empire, in which it remained until the fourth century.
The city then regained its independence, which lasted until 574, when the Visigoth King, Leovigild, took and destroyed the city.
Since then, it has been part of the Visigothic Kingdom, until 711, when it disintegrated after losing the Battle of Guadalete. Many refugees arrived in Amaya, which was besieged by the armies of Tariq who conquered it in 712. After a rebellion in 714, Tariq again razes the city. There are several attempts to repopulate Amaya, although until 860 during the reign of Ordoño I it is repopulated definitively, being fortified later. In the year 989 the troops of Hisham II surround and take the city, being this the last battle fought under its walls.
A Geological Paradise
From the geological point of view, Peña Amaya is a hanging syncline that is part of the World Geopark of Las Loras (certified by UNESCO). The whole region stands out for its unique landscape, as in the case of Peña Amaya, which rises 500 meters above its surroundings, so that from its summit a large part of the Castilian plateau can be seen.
