Marco Topo in Pamplona

Discover Pamplona-Iruña by playing

Pamplona-Iruña is a city full of history, culture and traditions. Through Marco Topo’s interactive game, families and children can explore its most emblematic places while solving questions and challenges that make the experience both educational and entertaining. The route takes visitors through historic squares, centuries-old walls, lively streets and parks and gardens with surprising secrets. The adventure begins in Plaza Consistorial, home to Pamplona-Iruña Town Hall. Its impressive Baroque façade and the city coat of arms decorate a building that has witnessed historic events such as the Privilege of the Union, which in 1423 united the three medieval boroughs into a single city. From here the route enters streets that reveal how Pamplona evolved from the Middle Ages onwards. An important stop is Belena de Portalapea, a surviving trace of the former walls of the Burgo de San Cernin. Archaeological remains found in this narrow alley include medieval arches and large stone projectiles once used in defence. Nearby stands the Gothic Church of San Saturnino, with its fortified tower, once at the heart of the Burgo de San Cernin. Above the church, the weather vane shaped like the famous Gallico de San Cernin has become a city symbol. Pamplona is known worldwide for San Fermín, and the Marco Topo game introduces the festival’s history from the place where the bull run begins: Cuesta de Santo Domingo. Here runners sing to Saint Fermín before setting off beside the bulls. The Espacio SanFermIN immerses visitors in the tradition through a sensory maze recreating the intensity of the bull run. Continuing along the route, the Royal Palace, now the Archive of Navarra, offers another view of the city’s history. Dating from the 12th century, it preserves medieval features including a snow well at the rear. Farther on, the France Gate recalls the period when Pamplona was a fortified city. The only gate still in its original position, it was the natural exit towards the Camino de Santiago and remains an entry point for many pilgrims. The route continues to one of the city’s most spectacular viewpoints, the White Horse Corner, a defensive bastion overlooking historic districts and the River Arga. From here you reach the majestic Cathedral of Santa María la Real, home to one of Spain’s most important Gothic cloisters and the tomb of the Navarrese monarchs. The old-town route also takes you to Plaza del Castillo, the heart of the city, which has hosted markets, duels and public events for centuries. Writer Ernest Hemingway found inspiration here for his novel The Sun Also Rises, and he is remembered by a bust near the bullring, close to the Monument to the Bull Run, a striking sculpture capturing the adrenaline of San Fermín. Beyond the old town, exploration continues in Taconera, Pamplona-Iruña’s oldest park. Its gardens contain historic sculptures such as Mari Blanca and centuries-old trees including a Japanese pagoda tree. Deer and other animals live in its moat, turning the park into an unusual natural refuge within the city. The Citadel of Pamplona-Iruña, an impressive Renaissance fortification, is another key stop. Once a military stronghold, it is now a cultural park with sculptures, historic buildings such as the Powder Magazine and Arms Hall, and an unusual history that includes its only capture being associated with a snowball fight. We invite you to discover Pamplona-Iruña with Marco Topo, immersing yourself in its history, culture and traditions through an adventure-filled route.