Roncesvalles

Old view of the Collegiate of St. Mary

Wars and confiscations in the nineteenth century led to economic crises, until at last it began to recover in the mid-twentieth century thanks to the Camino de Santiago, when a new rise of the Jacobean route relocalized the population in its rightful place.

The main building of Roncesvalles is the collegiate church of Santa Maria built in the early thirteenth century as a mausoleum by Sancho VII the Fort. After long periods of abandonment it was rebuilt in the seventeenth century under its present appearance. Attached to the cloister is the Chapel of St. Augustine, in whose center lies the tomb of Sancho VII with its imposing dating from the thirteenth century headstone statue. At the gate of the chapel can be seen the chains, according to tradition, the king of Navarre Store snatched the emir Miramolin after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa and forming part of the shield of Navarre.

The Sancti Spiritus to the Chapel, also known as Silo of Charlemagne, was originally intended for the burial that the Frankish king designed for Roldan. The current building dates from the twelfth century, which makes it the oldest in the town, and its structure highlights its roof slabs of limestone pyramid topped by a small dome Florentine cross. Attached to it is the Church of Santiago, a XIII century building completely refurbished during the twentieth century retaining its original, austere and simple Gothic look. The small bell volley shot comes from the old Ermita de San Salvador de Ibañeta, which centuries ago helped guide the pilgrims to the town. Inside is an interesting sculpture of St. James the Apostle.

Nothing remains of the original building of the famous Pilgrim Hospital of Roncesvalles. The present is the result of a complete renovation that during the seventeenth century, gave it its current neoclassical appearance. It is a large complex horizontal structure with a classicist access as pointed arch, with columns on their sides and triangular pediment and his effort.

On one side of the Priory House are housed two of the most interesting spaces of Roncesvalles. The first is its famous Library, which houses more than fifteen thousand volumes of various disciplines including prevail Theology and Philosophy. Some of the most valuable volumes are in another space: the Museum of Roncesvalles. This contains a lot of artworks divided between painting, sculpture, jewelry and tapestries that represent a comprehensive overview of local history. Chess stand Charlemagne, a reliquary known by his given name available checkerboard, and a triptych of the Crucifixion the sixteenth century belonging to the Flemish school.

The most famous episode of the town is remembered in two monuments. On the outskirts, is Ibañeta Monument, a stone structure that marks the spot where it is believed that Charlemagne found the body of the knight Roldan. In the center, coinciding with the twelfth anniversary of the battle, the Monument to the Battle of Roncesvalles rose. It has large limestone plates and is a bronze replica of a capital of the Palacio de los Reyes de Navarra in Estella, allusive reliefs depicting the battle.