In 1911, The Mount Igueldo Society was founded with the object of creating a leisure and recreation centre at the top of the one known as “Cold Mountain”, for its abrupt land and absence of vegetation.

A privileged watchtower, which from the west extreme of The Concha Bay, including Matxitxako Cape, to The French Landes, offers an impressive view of the beautiful town of San Sebastian and its surroundings, The Mount Igueldo turns into an obliged visit for natives an foreigners.

The road and The Funicular Railway were built in order to facilitate the access to the splendid Casino-Restaurant standing near The Tower (an old firewood lighthouse of the XVIII th Century reconstructed as an observatory).

On the 25th August 1912, Queen Maria Cristina inaugurated The Funicular Railway, which maintains the charm of old times, runs a lineal distance of 312,5 metres, at a speed 1,5 metres per second, saving a real unevenness of 151 metres with an almost 60% slope.

In 1925, the prohibition of gambling obliged the activity of The Casino to be changed into an elegant dancing place, at the same time, the first mechanic attractions were introduced: The Roller- Coaster, The Mysterious River, The Labyrinth, and The Pool are authentic origin of the present Funfair, and with which nostalgic and visitors can still enjoy.

In 1967, The Mount Igueldo Hotel (****) was built on the site of The Old Casino-Restaurant (Click here).

The slow but non-stopping metamorphosis of The Mount Igueldo continues trying to join traditions and modernity. The first attractions coexist together with other new ones, which announce the nearest future of this site, emblematic for the San Sebastian inhabitants and unforgettable for the visitors, The Mount Igueldo, above all, looks for the essence of an incomparable picture that has been very often qualified as “THE PRETTIEST VIEW IN THE WORLD”.