Roncesvalles

Roncesvalles is a town located in the north of Navarre and a key point on the Way of Saint James as it serves as a passageway from France to the Peninsula.

It was in Roncesvalles where the famous battle took place, pitting Charlemagne's army against the Basques, who ambushed the Franks and defeated them. The epic Battle of Roncesvalles and the character of the place as a haven for pilgrims traveling to Santiago from the Middle Ages to this day are the two factors that shape the history of this place, which still remains alive.

Of the large complex that Roncesvalles once was, little remains. Currently, you can visit in Roncesvalles the collegiate church of Santa María of Roncesvalles, dating back to the 13th century. This church, with a basilica plan, incorporates all the innovations of French Gothic and was built to replace an earlier one of which no remains exist. The 14th-century cloister had to be restored during the Baroque period and it was then that it lost almost all its original sculptural decoration. The most striking feature of the cloister is the 13th-century baptismal font, which functions as a fountain.

St. Augustine's Chapel, the former chapter house, is the burial place of King Sancho VII. The other two preserved chapels are St. James's and the Holy Spirit's, with the latter currently being the oldest building in the complex and it is believed to have originally been part of the hospital.

In Roncesvalles, the remains of the old pilgrim hospital are also preserved, namely a wall attached to the St. James's chapel. The current hospital was built in the 19th century.

The museum is also a place of great interest in Roncesvalles, as it houses a good number of artworks among which Charlemagne's Chess Set stands out.