From Pamplona C 135 goes northeast up the valley of the Río Arga, passes through Zubiri and climbs to the Puerto de Erro (801m/2,628ft). It then continues up the valley to Burguete (alt. 910m/2,986ft) and Roncesvalles (981m/3,219ft), just below the pass which was the most important way through the Pyrenees in the early Middle Ages and which was made famous by the "Chanson de Roland". The monastery and hospice which was established here to care for pilgrims following the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela developed into one of the largest and most famous establishments of the kind on the pilgrim route.
The Pass of Roncesvalles has a long history. Today there stands a chapel and commemorative stone at the pass, although it is perhaps most impressive for the view.
Near the monastery is the much visited Gothic pilgrimage church of the Holy Spirit, traditionally believed to have been built by Charlemagne to house Roland's tomb.
The Augustinian abbey was founded in 1130. The 13th century church has sumptuous gilded retablos, and on the high altar is a carved wooden figure of the Virgin of Roncesvalles, richly clad in silver and gold. In the chapterhouse, which opens off the cloister, is the tomb of Sancho VII, the Strong, during whose reign, in 1219, the church was consecrated. The recumbent figure of the king is 2.25m/7ft 4-1.5in. long, which is said to have been his actual height.
Among the exhibits in the Museum housed in the conventual buildings are a Gospel book which belonged to the kings of Navarre, several reliquaries in precious materials, a collection of outsize weapons said to have been the property of Sancho VII, a precious stone from the turban of the Arab leader at the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, in which the Arabs were decisively defeated, and valuable paintings, including a triptych ascribed to Hieronymus Bosch.
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Pass of Roncesvalles
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