GERNIKAKO ARBELA TREE

Gernikako Arbela the tree of Gernikako in Basque is an oak tree that symbolizes traditional freedoms for the Biscayan people and by extension for the Basque people as a whole. The Lords of Biscay including kings of Castile and Car list pretenders to the throne swore to respect the Biscayan liberties under it, and the modern Lehendakari of the Basque Country swears his charge there.

The tree

In the middle ages, representatives of the villages of Biscay would hold assemblies under local big trees. As time passed, the role of separate assemblies was superseded by the Guernica assembly in 1512, and its oak would acquire a symbolic meaning, with actual assemblies being held in a purpose-built hermitage-house the current building is from 183.

The known specimens form a dynasty:

The father, planted in the 14th century, lasted 450 years

The old tree 1742–1892, re-planted in 1811. The trunk now is held in a temple in the surrounding garden.

The third (1858–2004), re-planted in 1860, survived the bombing of Guernica in 1937 but had to be replaced because of a fungus. The gardeners of the Biscayan government keep several spare trees grown from the tree's acorns.

The current one (from 1986) was replanted on the site of its father on 25 February 2005.

The tree's significance is illustrated by an event which occurred shortly after the Guernica bombings. When the François troops took the town, the Trico of Begonia, formed by Carlos volunteers from Biscay, put an armed guard around the tree to protect it against the Falangists, who had wanted to fell this symbol of Basque nationalism.

An oak tree is depicted on the heraldic arms of Biscay and subsequently on the arms of many of the towns of Biscay. An oak leaf logo is being used by the local government of Biscay. The logo of the Basque nationalist party Eskom Alkartasuna has one half red and the other green, the colours of the Basque flag. An old version of the logo of the nationalist youth organisation Jarrai also displays oak leaves.