"Irun in no way resembles a French village; the roofs of the houses fan out; the tiles, alternately convex and concave, form a kind of row of battlements looking strange and Moorish. The balconies, which protrude a long way, are made of ancient ironwork and carefully wrought; this comes as a surprise in a forgotten village like Irun and indicate great wealth that has since disappeared."
Teophile GAUTIER.
Voyage en Espagne. (1840)