The society of the Old Town, one of the oldest in the city.
Kañoyetan, the society in the Old Town founded in 1900, is undergoing a total transformation. Until now, its entrance was on Del Valle Lersundi Street, and its windows faced Santa Corda Street. The board of directors decided to expand the facilities, increasing the area from 87 m² to 180 m², thanks to the purchase of the adjacent property on August 31st Street, where has been designed the new entrance. This is a comprehensive renovation of a space located in a building that was constructed 250 years ago and retains its wooden structure. It has been a lengthy process involving consultations and permits, which have delayed the construction, expected to be completed in two to three months.
Miguel Setién, vice president of the Board of Directors, explains how the company is distributed. The location of the dining room, kitchen, bathrooms, warehouse and entrance, previously with stairs and now at ground level, which will allow people with mobility problems to easily access the rest of the services. Kañoyetan already has innovative ventilation, heating and air conditioning systems.
air conditioning, and it will also have windows along the façade on August 31st Street. The renovation has been carried out with exquisite respect and care for the building's historical value, designed and overseen by the San Sebastián firm Biharko, with architects Jon Pérez Redondo and Javier Orduña Múgica.
The new Kañoyetan currently has a waiting list of members. To join, you have to pay an initial contribution with a % recoverable when leaving the society. You must also pay an annual fee, which allows you to enter without a waiting list, fulfilling the requirements of the Statutes. It also guarantees a permanent place with automatic access to the Tamborrada, free use of all facilities and participation in all events organized by the society.
Kañoyetan will celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2025. The board of directors, headed by its president Fernando Blanco; the aforementioned vice president Miguel Setién; the secretary Jon Goicoechea; the treasurer Ivan Larraza and the members Alejandro Elizalde, Iñaki González, Joseba Recondo, Jon García, Aritz Aldanondo and Borja Pollos are already designing various activities, including a book about the history of the entity that is being worked on by the journalist Jokin Garate and the historian José Mª Leclercq, who recently received the Medal for Citizen Merit.
Hundreds of anecdotes embellish the history of the entity, including the time when the Prince of Savoy visited to try the kokotxas dish. He enjoyed it so much that he relayed his admiration to Queen María Cristina, who then requested and tasted the dish, becoming enchanted with the delicacy.
The chef Juan Mari Arzak is one of the esteemed members, and during the renovations, the various companies in the Old Town, including the neighboring Amaikak Bat, Gaztelupe, Gaztelubide, Unión Artesana, EuskalBillera, and Ollagorra, have allowed Kañoyetan members to use their facilities.
