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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de La Bastide-Clairence, located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, was consecrated in 1315 by the bishop of Pamplona Arnaud de Puyana. This monument, built quickly after the foundation of the bastide in the early 14th century, features a Romanesque porch and a unique nave without transept. Its history is marked by problems of solidity which led to a nearly total reconstruction between 1776 and 1779, during which time its interior decor was installed and completed in the nineteenth century.

The building, 42 metres long for 24 wide with a 20-metre bell tower, served as a meeting place for the general states of the Kingdom of Navarre in the 17th and 18th centuries. During the French Revolution, the coat of arms of Navarre decorated with its facade was hammered. Its architecture combines Ferruginous sandstone and Bidache limestone, while its cemetery-preau paved with funerary slabs is a unique feature in the Basque Country. The vault, decorated with 72 blazoned caissons, and the door of the Cabots located under the outside staircase testify to its rich heritage.

The porch, partially attributed to the 16th century, houses a sculpted portal to the archvolts. Three large paintings adorn the choir, representing Saint John the Baptist, the Assumption of the Virgin and Saint Nicholas. The small side door, dated 1715, could correspond to the construction period of the outside galleries. The church, owned by the commune since its inscription in 1996, embodies both the religious and political history of the region, including its link with the Kingdom of Navarre.

The materials used, such as sandstone and local limestone, reflect the resources available in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The reconstruction of the 18th century met structural requirements, while integrating Baroque decorative elements. The outdoor galleries, covered in appentis, surround the flat bedside and the long sides of the building, offering a characteristic example of Basque religious architecture. Its role in the general states of Navarre underlines its importance as a place of power before the Revolution.

Today, the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption remains an architectural witness to the cultural exchanges between Navarre, France and the Basque Country. Its inscription in historical monuments in 1996 preserved its unique elements, such as the cemetery-preau and the coat of arms of the vault. The successive transformations, from the 14th to the 19th century, illustrate the evolution of liturgical styles and needs, while preserving traces of the medieval and modern periods.

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