**The town of Deba** ::municipios 
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Deba’s history is closely linked to the old inland settlement of Montreal de Itziar, located just a few kilometers away. In the late 13th century, its inhabitants asked the Crown to allow them to move closer to the coast to benefit from maritime resources, particularly fishing and whaling. This request led to the founding of the new coastal town of Deba, which received its charter in 1343 and was established on the dunes of the river estuary, protected by a defensive wall with five strategically placed gates.
These gates structured daily life in medieval Deba: the Portal of the Fountain, which led to the public spring and the road to Itziar; the Portal of the Passage, the access point to the small port where boats crossed to the opposite bank; the Portal of the Sandbank, which opened onto the large area where the town council met; the Portal of the King, entrance to the Camino Real; and the Portal of the Shipyard, gateway to the waterfront, the shipyards and the whale-fat rendering area known as Labatai. The urban layout was organized around three main streets —Iturkalde, Erdikokalea and Okerkale— connected by narrow alleys that shaped everyday life.
The Town Hall, designed by Ignacio de Ibero in 1747, stands today as one of Deba’s most emblematic buildings. Its austere Baroque façade and the three heraldic shields —the Royal Crown, Gipuzkoa and Deba— reflect the villa’s historical importance. Beneath its portico were once displayed the coats of arms of notable local families such as Olciden and Irarrazabal, reminding us that the history of Deba is also the history of its lineages, its roads and its ancient relationship with the sea.
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