Roncesvalles

Roncesvalles (/ˈrɒnsəvælz/ RON-sə-valz,[2][3] Spanish: [ronθesˈβaʎes]; Basque: Orreaga [oreaɣa]; Aragonese: Ronzesbals [ɾonθezˈbals]; Occitan: Roncesvals; French: Roncevaux [ʁɔ̃s(ə)vo]) is a small village and municipality in Navarre, northern Spain.

Roncesvalles is famous in history and legend for the death of Roland in 778, during the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, when Charlemagne's rearguard was destroyed by Basque tribes.

Both of these are traversed by the main road leading north from Roncesvalles to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, in the French Basque Country.

Since the Middle Ages, this collegiate church of Santa María de Orreaga/Roncesvalles has been a favorite resting place for Catholic pilgrims along the French Way path, the most popular variant of the Way of St. James, since it is the first place to have a rest after crossing the French Pyrenees.

The oldest building is the Chapel of Sancti Spiritus, or "Charlemagne's Silo" built in Romanesque style in the 12th century.

Chains found in a Roncesvalles church said to inspire the coat of arms of Navarre . Photographed at the Museum of Roncesvalles