The beautiful woods and meadows in Aralar give the mountain range an extremely high ecological value. Beech, oak and hazelnut trees stand alongside pasturelands across which dairy sheep and horses roam. And although nature is the main protagonist here, stone also plays an important role. It has also left us a multitude of dolmens scattered across the whole range, beautiful farmhouses such as those at Madotz, Astitz and Baraibar, mills such as the one at Aitzarrateta and chapels such as Santiago de Itxasperri. Undoubtedly, however, the most notable monument is the medieval sanctuary of St. Michael of Aralar. An emblematic location inside which the chains that – according to legend – were worn by Teodosio de Goñi as penitence for having killed his parents-in-law after being tricked by the Devil. He was freed after invoking San Miguel (St Michael) and thus defeating the dragon of Aralar.