Cultural Heritage
Cultural Heritage
Architecture and art in Roncesvalles
Its combination of history and geography have endowed Orreaga- Roncesvalles with a significant artistic foundation.
Its architecture, whose original function was to shelter walkers and pilgrims, coalesced in buildings of great quality,
especially the Collegiate church from the 13th century
- Church of Santa María
- San Agustín Chapel
- Claustro
- Chapel of the Espíritu Santo
- Church of Santiago
- Itzandegia
- Museum
- The Priory House
- Bell tower
- The houses of the Beneficiados
- Pilgrims hostel
- Mill
- Inn
- Chapel of San Salvador
The urban centre
As an urban development, Roncesvalles has three focal points that constitute the centre of a continuous space. The first is the access esplanade which has the Priory House and Museum-Library as a backdrop. The second nucleus of the collegiate complex is hidden by this first line of buildings. It is an almost enclosed space which forms a large rectangular square accessed by a small tunnel with a depressed vault. Laid out over various levels, the upper part is occupied by the Houses of the Beneficiados. The third area is another rectangular patio enclosed by houses where the Hospital stands, which was built at the beginning of the 19th century and today functions as a youth hostel.
Other public buildings include the old mill, built at the end of the 18th century and totally renovated as a tourist information office, and the simple dwellings next to the Beneficiados.
Notable amongst the buildings of an eminently public nature is the hostelry or inn, which is the first building you come across on arriving from Burguete and which was built for this purpose in 1612.
Collegiate church of Santa María
The Collegiate church of Santa María is the most emblematic building in Orreaga- Roncesvalles and the one that most clearly alludes to the powerful community of Augustine canons who lived there from its foundation. It is also the finest example in Navarre of not only French Gothic, but the very purest I’Lle de France style, and houses a beautiful image of the Virgin from the 14th century.
The hypothesis that there was a church in Orreaga- Roncesvalles before the existing 13th century one is accepted, although opinions differ as to whether this was located in the same place or in the location occupied by the chapel of Espíritu Santo.
The present church was built under the patronage of Sancho VII “The Strong” (1194-1234), who chose it as his burial site. Researchers give different opinions on the exact date of construction, but it is known that it was at the beginning of the 13th century, sometime between 1215 and 1221.
The Collegiate subsequently suffered serious damage, mainly caused by fires in 1445, 1468 and 1626. At the beginning of the 17th century its state of deterioration and virtual abandonment prompted its reconstruction. The building initiative involved the entire Collegial site, particularly the church and cloister.
Work entailed covering over the Gothic interior and giving it a Baroque style, with the exception of the presbytery and the section of nave before it, where Gothic elements are still visible.
Layout of the Church
The church, as can be seen in the present day, has three naves, the central one being double the width of the side naves which are divided into five sections, in addition to which the central nave has a pentagonal chevet; the side naves end in a straight line. The support system is provided by cylindrical pillars of alternating thickness which separate the naves, supported on a pedestal and topped by a capital decorated with a double girdle of “crochets” in a very simplified style. These pillars serve as a support for the pointed longitudinal arches and the small columns on which the roofing rests. The triforium runs over the longitudinal arches, formed on each section of the central nave by four small pointed arches over small columns with the same type of capital; a gallery free from partitions that leads to the “ox-eye” window and features a sequence of pointed arches as the sole decorative element. This characteristic Gothic feature translates into the chevet in the opening of large windows, decorated with modern stained glass.
The central nave is covered by two sections of sexpartite vault with beaded ribs, except at the crossover which is half-ribbed to thus join on to the roof of the apse whose radial ribs fan off the single decorative keystone. The ribs of the roof are supported by slender individual columns which reach to the floor of the apse and are supported by the cylindrical pillars in the nave. The lateral naves are covered by a simple groin vault set at a lower height than the central one. On the frontal wall of each of them are two pointed stained glass windows.
360º view of the interior of the church. Click and drag or move your phone to change the view.
Façade of the church
The only original element of the façade is the door aperture with its three archivolts. The façade was originally very simple and consisted of a pointed door flanked by rose windows and a pointed window some way above the door.
Presbytery. Virgin of Santa María de Roncesvalles
A magnificent sculpture of the Virgin of Roncesvalles presides over the church. This wooden Gothic figure plated in silver dates from the middle of the 14th century and was made in the French city of Toulouse. The sculpture perfectly transmits the Gothic spirit, in terms of intimacy, naturalism and familiarity.
The seat and cushion are also highly ornamental. The latter is decorated with a dense network of diamond shapes and the chair with a series of trilobe arches on the front.
Chapel of the Holy Christ and the Holy Relics
On the occasion of the 9th centenary of the foundation of the Royal Collegiate Church of Roncesvalles, the former Chapel of Christ has been transformed into a unique space: the altarpiece of the Holy Christ and the Holy Relics.
This is a place where devotion, history, and art converge, designed for the faithful, pilgrims of the Way of St. James, and visitors alike.
A space inviting contemplation
The chapel is conceived as a visual catechesis. The iron grille in the foreground symbolically marks the separation between the temporal world and the eternal, highlighting the value of what is kept within: an authentic spiritual treasure.
The ensemble does not seek sobriety; rather, it aims to convey the idea of a universal and triumphant Church, represented by the multitude of saints surrounding Christ.
The Holy Christ, center of the altarpiece
At the center stands the image of the crucified Christ (19th century), characterized by great expressiveness and anatomical detail.
Christ is presented as the axis of the Church and the source of life, around whom the entire altarpiece is organized. The arrangement of the figures evokes the evangelical image of the vine and the branches: the saints remain united to Him and bear fruit.
The reliquary busts: a living Church
Surrounding the Crucified Christ are sixteen reliquary busts and six reliquary arms, carved in cedar wood by the Ecuadorian artist Lauro Germán Pomasqui, based in San Antonio de Ibarra.
His Neo-Baroque style, rich in polychromy and detail, brings to life a wide representation of saints linked to Navarre and Christian tradition.
These pieces house relics from the treasury of the Collegiate Church as well as from various institutions, including:
- Pamplona Cathedral
- Monastery of Leyre
- Toledo Cathedral
- Oviedo Cathedral
- Cathedral of El Burgo de Osma
- Basilica of Saint-Sernin, Toulouse
- Parish of Santiago, Sangüesa
- Prelature of Opus Dei
- Religious communities: Capuchins, Augustinians, Sisters of Mary Immaculate (Servicio Doméstico).
An arrangement full of meaning
The organization of the altarpiece follows a symbolic order:
- At the top, Saint Michael the Archangel presides over the scene as the ancient patron of the Kingdom of Navarre.
- Next to the cross are the first evangelizers, Saint Saturninus and Saint Honestus.
- On both sides, the apostolic and magisterial Church is represented by figures such as Saint James the Apostle and Saint Augustine.
- On the lower levels are saints with special ties to Navarre, such as:
- Saints Fermin and Francis Xavier
- Saints Emeterius and Celedonius
- Saints Nunilo and Alodia
- Saints Veremund and Gregory of Ostia
- Saints Raymond and Virila
- Saint Vicenta María and Saint Ezekiel Moreno
On the sides, the reliquary arms complete the ensemble with other prominent figures of Christian tradition, such as Saint Sebastian, Saint Romanus, Saint Eulogius of Córdoba, Blessed Juan de Palafox, Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, and Saint Josemaría.
A message for the pilgrim
This altarpiece is much more than an artistic work: it is an invitation to understand the Communion of Saints.
Each figure serves as a reminder that holiness is possible in all times and circumstances, and that the Christian path—much like the Way of St. James itself—has a goal that transcends geography: union with Christ, the source of life and fulfillment.
Altarpiece of the Lord of the Thorns and Reliquary of the Holy Thorns
The Reliquary of the Holy Thorns is one of the most precious treasures of the Royal Collegiate Church of Roncesvalles, renowned for both its religious significance and its historical and artistic wealth.
The Reliquary: A Cross Transformed into a Treasure
The Holy Thorns are kept in a Plateresque-style reliquary in the shape of a gilded silver cross, crafted in the 16th century.
Originally designed as a processional cross, it was later modified to house two thorns from the Crown of Christ.
Its quadrilobed base features the symbols of the four Evangelists (the Tetramorph). The cross is richly adorned with vegetal motifs, characteristic of Renaissance art.
To accommodate the relics, the original structure was adapted by incorporating two small glass tubes where the Holy Thorns are preserved today.
A Journey from the Holy Land to Roncesvalles
The history of these relics spans centuries and continents:
- Following the Crucifixion of Christ, the Crown of Thorns was kept in Jerusalem.
- In the year 614, facing the Persian invasion, it was moved to Constantinople.
- In 1238, King Saint Louis IX of France acquired the Crown and commissioned the construction of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris for its preservation.
From that moment on, individual thorns were distributed as donations to various European churches. In the Kingdom of Navarre, King Theobald II, who was married to a daughter of Saint Louis, received three Thorns as a gift. According to tradition, he decided to give one to Pamplona Cathedral and two to Roncesvalles—a key site on the Camino de Santiago—so they could be venerated by pilgrims from all over Europe.
The Altarpiece of the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament
The reliquary is integrated into a Baroque altarpiece located in the current Chapel of the Holy Sacrament (Capilla del Santísimo).
This altarpiece is organized into three sections:
- Predella (Base): Includes the tabernacle, decorated with the image of the pelican, a symbol of Christ giving Himself for humanity.
- Main Body: Framed by Solomonic columns decorated with vine leaves and clusters, evoking the Eucharist. In the center is the image of the Lord of the Holy Thorns.
- Attic (Top): Crowned by a pointed pediment, presided over by the bust of Saint Louis, King of France, linked to the history of the relics.
The current statues were recently created by the sculptor Lauro Germán Pomasqui and the polychromist Mateo Gabriel Pomasqui, maintaining the aesthetic and devotional continuity of the ensemble.
A Place of Welcome and Devotion
The presence of the Holy Thorns in Roncesvalles is no coincidence. This enclave, the gateway to the Camino de Santiago in the Iberian Peninsula, has been for centuries a place of welcome, prayer, and encounter between peoples.
These holy relics serve as a reminder of the suffering of Christ, while also inviting the pilgrim to discover the profound meaning of the Way: an inner journey of faith, devotion, and hope.
Crypt
The church has a pentagonal crypt which includes the chevet and the transept, built to accommodate the steep slope of the land. The first section is covered by a half-barrel pointed vault and the chevet is covered by a handkerchief vault. Semicircular windows open up in the central expanse of the chevet. Although in a very deteriorated state, the pictorial decoration still survives, as does the Gothic configuration of ashlar stone. The church and the crypt are linked by a very steep staircase covered by a pointed barrel vault without transversal arches. Above this is the sacristy.
San Agustín Chapel
This chapel is also known as the Tower of San Agustín, the Royal Chapel and the Capitular Room. The eastern wing opens up into a triple arcade, a formula very similar to the Barbazana chapel in Pamplona Cathedral.
It has a square layout covered by a vault of intermediate ribs with much more styled rib couplings than those in the church, with decorated keystones. The vault is supported on four large semi-columns which give a rough representation of angels.
The chapel has a small open area in the eastern wall which acts as the chevet and is at a higher level. This area is rectangular in shape with a groin vault, the main keystone of which is decorated.
The exterior is made of cubic ashlar stone, giving it a certain fortress-like appearance, hence the reason that on occasion it was known as the Tower of San Agustín. Buttresses adjoining the corners and reaching up to the pyramidal roof reinforce the building which dates back to the 14th century.
In the centre of the chapel stands the sepulchre of Sancho VII “The Strong” which was installed in 1912, the date when the chapel was refurbished to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Navas de Tolosa. Of the original funereal tomb of the King, who died in Tudela in 1234, only the slab with the relief of the reclining monarch remains, surrounded by a delicate decorative frieze of vegetation which is dated at the 13th century, as it was at that time that Theobald I commissioned his uncle’s sepulchre. The rest of the sepulchral bed, with its trilobe arches, reflects the neo-Gothic fashion that reigned in 1912.
A small room in the western part of the chapel, a little higher up, with a groin vault and a keystone featuring Christ blessing, serves as the chevet of the chapel which, since at least the beginning of the 17th century, has been closed off by bars. At the beginning of the 20th century, chains and maces were hung up to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Navas de Tolosa (1212), in which Sancho “The Strong” fought. The chapel was restored for this purpose in 1922, resulting in the majority of the modern features that are still in place today, including the stained glass windows.
On the floor, at the entrance to the little chapel, is the tombstone of the Prior Don García Juan de Viguria (1327 – 1346).
In the chapel of San Agustín it is also worth noting a series of sculptures associated with works in the cloister of Pamplona Cathedral. These are two capitals that represent Original Sin and the Expulsion from Paradise, and it is feasible that these formed part of the Gothic cloister. Also noteworthy are two praying statues of King Sancho VII and his wife, Lady Clemencia, positioned in one of the recesses of the tiny chapel.
Cloister
The cloister has a square layout and adjoins the church on the Epistle side. It replaced the previous cloister which collapsed under the weight of snow in 1600. The chronicles of Licenciado Huarte compare its exquisite decoration with the cloister of Pamplona Cathedral. This similarity would appear to be credible given the foundational relationship between the two churches.
Construction of the current cloister is widely documented as being 1606, the year in which the plans were commissioned, although work did not actually start until 1615 and went on until at least 1661.
The cloister is square yet irregular in shape, an irregularity which is replicated in the raised part, which is on a single level and features bays of different widths, buttresses of different numbers and sizes, and arches with different spans.
Three of the wings are covered by a flat roof with wooden beams and strong transversal pointed arches of rectangular section. Stylistically speaking, the arches make a reference to previous centuries although their solidity can be explained by the desire to achieve a structure that would withstand any eventuality. The Eastern bay, off which the chapel of San Agustín opens, is covered by a simple groin vault with semicircular transversal arches.
Several burial niches with pointed arches have been discovered embedded in the walls of the cloister, the remains of the original Gothic cloister.
Chapel of the Espíritu Santo
This chapel is also known as the “Silo of Charlemagne”, as according to tradition it is the burial site that the French monarch ordered to be built for Roland and the other knights who fell in the Battle of Roncesvalles.
Despite the fact that the chapel has undergone many transformations, it appears to be the oldest building still preserved in this area. It used to safeguard the stone that Roland split in two with his sword. Nonetheless, this association with the hero’s memory did not impede the chapel from carrying out its sacred functions.
It is believed to date from the 12th century and stands over a well which used to serve as an ossuary, with masonry walls and a half-barrelled vault in the same material. The chapel itself was built over the well, square in shape and with a simple groin vault. This part is at a higher level than the floor, and this is where at the beginning of the 17th century work began on a tiny cloister with a stone arcade on three of its four sides and a wall that served as a burial site for canons. The semicircular arches rest on square pillars with upper imposts.
Church of Santiago
This small Gothic chapel from the 13th century stands next to the “Silo of Charlemagne” and is a simple rectangular building with two sections which include an upright chevet and a simple groin vault. Simple cylindrical base columns serve as a support for the roof.
The exterior is also very simple, with walls of irregular ashlar stones, no buttresses, and a pointed arched doorway with a crismon (sacred monogram).
Used as a parish church up until the 18th century, this small chapel was left without worshippers for a long period of time until it was restored by Florencio Ansoleaga in the 20th century, opening up the small ox-eye above the door and adding the pilgrim’s bell.
Itzandegia
This early Gothic building (13th century) stands opposite the chapels of Santiago and Espíritu Santo.
Legend attributes it as the first sanctuary of the Virgin of Roncesvalles, or at least as the place where her image was kept following her apparition.
It has a rectangular nave in six sections whose roof is supported by transversal arches, and an exterior of irregular ashlar stones.
Its original function is unknown, as documentary evidence prior to the 16th century refers to it as a hayloft, a stables and a servant’s quarters.
These different functions explain the various modifications that have resulted in the total disfigurement of the structure and the building’s appearance.
Library and Museum
The Library and Museum of Roncesvalles occupy the building adjacent to the Priory House, forming a horizontal block. The building has three storeys and a small attic with an “ox-eye”. An arcade of fluted pilasters with eclectic motifs opens up in the second section of the building.
The Museum
The small museum on the ground floor of the Library building houses a large number of objets d’art that are representative of the Collegiate, including sculptures, painting and silverwork, as well as furniture, tapestries, coins and books of considerable bibliographic interest.
Sculpture
Notable amongst the sculptures are a Gothic statue of a seated female figure from the 14th century and a sculpture of St. Michael dating back to the second third of the 16th century.
The Museum also preserves some reliefs and statues that formed part of the High Altar of the Collegiate, made between 1618 and 1624, which were dismantled when the church was restored and partially redistributed in the parish of Yesa.
The sculpture collection is rounded of by an ivory Baroque Crucifix from the 18th century.
Painting
There is an impressive triptych of the Crucifixion, stylistically ascribed to the North European school of the 16th century, which was ceded to the Collegiate in 1720 by Jerónima Jiménez de Esparza. Its origin would appear to be Flemish.
Another noteworthy piece is the depiction of the Holy Family, created by Luis de Morales, which in appearance is similar to the one in the New Cathedral of Salamanca, especially in the central grouping.
Representative of the 17th century are a magnificent canvas of the martyrdom of San Lorenzo, a Baroque piece from the first half of the 17th century, and an interesting canvas of Judith bringing the head of Holofernes dating from the middle of the century.
Eighteenth century painting is represented by the Dream of St. Joseph, bequeathed, as was the martyrdom of San Lorenzo, by the Marquis of Hormazas on his death in 1827. A painting of the Calvary with Mary Magdalene and St. John by Bounocare Napoli is dated at 1748.
Amongst the other pieces, it is worth highlighting a small but interesting 16th century Renaissance tableau of the Passion made in enamel, which is currently being restored.
Silverware
The collection of silver held by the Collegiate has one or two important pieces, not just nationally but also at European level. First comes a beautiful silver-plated box covered by delicate filigree work and dated between 1274 and 1328. There is another partially silver-plated box which dates back to the 16th century whose main interest lies in the fact that it features medallions and relief-work from the medieval era. The series of boxes is rounded off by one of silver and mother-of-pearl, larger in size than the others, which originated in the second half of the 16th century. Also noteworthy is a partially silver-plated staff, which may have been donated in 1899 by the Bishop of Pamplona, Don Antonio Ruiz Cabal.
Amongst the ecclesiastical pieces it is worth noting a series of silver-plated chalices. Two are from the 16th century, some date from the start of the 17th century, while others in neo-classic style can be traced to the end of the 19th and beginning of the 19th centuries. Another piece worth highlighting in this section is a ciborium/ostensorio in silver plate whose current appearance is the result of numerous additions.
The Roncesvalles Museum also has two pairs of crowns in Imperial style, one of which, in silver, corresponds to the Virgin of the Treasure and features decorative engraving.
The silver-plated Processional Cross is another of the gifts that the Prior, Don Francisco of Navarre, made to the Collegiate, featuring in the inventory for the first time in 1578, where it was called a Guiding Cross.
Moving to another style of objects, two small sculptures should be highlighted, the most important of which is known as the Little Virgin of the Treasure. This is a wooden figure of the Virgin with the Child seated on her lap, in silver plate apart from the face and hands, which was made during the Gothic period of the second half of the 14th century. The other sculpture is in cast silver and represents St. Michael.
The partially silver-plated Gospels constitute one of the most outstanding pieces of Orreaga- Roncesvalles’ treasures and of medieval Navarran silverwork. It dates back to the second quarter of the 13th century and provides an example of the transition from Romanesque to Gothic. This piece evokes, once again, the parallels between the Chapter of the Cathedral and that of the Collegiate, given that both institutions boasted this rich liturgical object.
Equally notable within the so-called “treasure of Orreaga- Roncesvalles” are the reliquaries, especially the one known as “Charlemagne’s Chessboard”, thus called for its checkerboard type layout. This piece, ascribed both chronologically and stylistically to the Gothic period of the second half of the 14th century, is made up of a wooden core covered in partially silver plated sheets, translucent glazes and glass.
Another of the interesting pieces that formed part of the legacy that Don Francisco bequeathed to Navarre on his death is the Reliquary of the Thorns, in silver plate. The reliquary, in the form of an altar cross, has undergone numerous transformations over time, changes which do not, however, conceal its original Valencian-style structure.
An example of secular silverware is the silver plated cigarette case, also exhibited in the Museum. Dated at around 1760, the style of this piece demonstrates the transition from Rococo to Classicism.
Finally, another outstanding item of silverware is the famous Miramamolín Emerald, attributable, according to legend, to the one that Sancho VII “The Strong” plucked from the turban of the Moorish King at the Battle of Navas, after which it was incorporated as a symbol into the Navarre coat of arms.
The Library
The Capitulary Library is not open to the public and can only be visited on prior request for study and research purposes. Holds more than 15,000 volumes on all kinds of subjects, although the most important are on theological and philosophical topics and ecclesiastic history. There are volumes in a variety of languages: Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Basque and even Chinese. Some of the most interesting pieces, such as the 14th century manuscript, “La Pretiosa”, are exhibited in the Collegiate Museum.
Despite the fact that a good part of the documentation was transferred to official archives during the process of confiscation, there is still a considerable section of the Historical Archive left, created over the almost nine centuries that the hospital has been in existence. This documentary archive held in the collegiate offices includes scrolls, administrative books and documents relating to the internal history and external repercussions of Capitular life, etc.
Cultural Heritage