Ecala

Ecala is one of the districts of the municipality of Améscoa Baja, located at an elevation of 633 meters in the natural corridor formed by the Sierra de Urbasa to the north and the Sierra de Lóquiz to the south.

The village is centered around the Church of San Miguel, a late Romanesque building with Cistercian influences that underwent renovations in the 16th and 17th centuries. On the road to Eulate stands the Chapel of Santo Tomás, which houses a Gothic carving of the Virgin of Mercy and a Hispano-Flemish image of Saint Thomas. In the town center, there are also 16th- and 17th-century homes featuring Baroque coats of arms.

From Ecala, there is direct access to trails leading to the Sierra de Lóquiz and the Sierra de Urbasa, offering opportunities for hiking, nature observation, and connections to other towns in the valley. The landscape consists of mountainous terrain with forests, pastures, and the karst topography characteristic of the area.

The municipality retains an agricultural and livestock-based economy linked to the communal use of woodlands and pastures. It maintains an active neighborhood community and a traditional fronton attached to the church—elements that reflect the community organization of the small villages of Las Améscoas. Its patron saint festivities are held in honor of Saint Michael on September 29. The tradition associated with the Santo Tomás hermitage is also preserved, with religious celebrations tied to its feast day.