Roncevaux Pass
Encyclopedia
Roncevaux Pass is a high mountain pass
in the Pyrenees
near the border between France
and Spain
. The pass itself is entirely in Spain.
According to tradition, it is the site where Roland
died during the Battle of Roncevaux Pass
in 778
, a landmark in Basque history leading to the foundation of the Kingdom of Pamplona
. There is a tombstone near the pass commemorating the area where it is traditionally held that Roland died.
The pass is located near Roncesvalles
(Spain
) and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
(France
). It has customarily been an important point on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.
The route over the pass departs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side and from Lintzoain on the Spanish side.
The pass divides the valley of the Nive
on the north from the valley of the Irati on the south.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
near the border between France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The pass itself is entirely in Spain.
According to tradition, it is the site where Roland
Roland
Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Historically, Roland was military governor of the Breton March, with responsibility for defending the frontier of Francia against the Bretons...
died during the Battle of Roncevaux Pass
Battle of Roncevaux Pass
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass was a battle in 778 in which Roland, prefect of the Breton March and commander of the rear guard of Charlemagne's army, was defeated by the Basques...
in 778
778
Year 778 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 778 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* August 15 – Battle of Roncevaux Pass...
, a landmark in Basque history leading to the foundation of the Kingdom of Pamplona
Kingdom of Navarre
The Kingdom of Navarre , originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, was a European kingdom which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean....
. There is a tombstone near the pass commemorating the area where it is traditionally held that Roland died.
The pass is located near Roncesvalles
Roncesvalles
Roncesvalles is a small village and municipality in Navarre, northern Spain. It is situated on the small river Urrobi at an altitude of some 900 metres in the Pyrenees, about 8 kilometres from the French frontier....
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France close to Ostabat in the Pyrenean foothills....
(France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
). It has customarily been an important point on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.
The route over the pass departs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side and from Lintzoain on the Spanish side.
The pass divides the valley of the Nive
Nive
The Nive is a French river that flows through the French Basque Country. It is a left tributary of the river Adour. The river's source in the Pyrenees in Lower Navarre...
on the north from the valley of the Irati on the south.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
- La Brèche de RolandLa Brèche de RolandLa Brèche de Roland is a natural gap, 40 m across and 100 m high, at an altitude of 2804 m in the steep cliffs of the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees...
- Battle of Roncevaux PassBattle of Roncevaux PassThe Battle of Roncevaux Pass was a battle in 778 in which Roland, prefect of the Breton March and commander of the rear guard of Charlemagne's army, was defeated by the Basques...