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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Saint-Pierre de Saint-Jean-le-Vieux Church is a religious building of Romanesque origin, built in the 12th or 13th century, and then profoundly redesigned in the 17th century. It consists of a single vessel barred by a transept of the same height, with a flat bedside and a sacristy supported. Its walls in beige beige cargneule, decorated with three florets and a tympanum engraved with a chrism, bear witness to its medieval heritage. Inside, two floors of stands surround the nave covered with a false vault in a cradle, while the cross is surmounted by a false arch of ridges.

Initially a chapel dependent on the parish of Zabalza, the church did not become parish until the 16th century, replacing the former Sanctuary of Saint John of Urrutia, then in decrepitude. A major restoration was undertaken at the beginning of the 17th century, as evidenced by the Latin inscription "VIZCAY RECTORE FUIT REPARATIO" engraved on the lintel of the portal in 1630, under the impulse of Martin Biscay, parish priest from 1613 to 1616, and his brother, parish priest for 31 years. The bell tower-wall, pierced by two campanary bays, and the fowls of the north wall, still used as burials, also date from this period.

The building has been listed as a historic monument since September 1, 1986. Its architecture combines Romanesque elements (portal, tympanum) and post-medieval additions (tribes, painted wooden vaults). Cargneule limestone, used for portal and south elevation, as well as capitals carved of palms, foliage and interlaces, underline its hybrid character. The last known covers date back to the contemporary era, without further precision.

Located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the heart of the Basque Country, the church illustrates the evolution of rural places of worship, from secondary chapel to parish church. Its history reflects local dynamics, between the decline of the former Shrine of Urrutia and adaptation to community needs in the 17th and 18th centuries. The site remains owned by the commune of Saint-Jean-le-Vieux, with an approximate location (precision: 5/10).

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