Station survey 1805 (≈ 1805)
Restoration after the French Revolution.
1841-1845
Creation of bas-reliefs
Creation of bas-reliefs 1841-1845 (≈ 1843)
Directed by Alexandre Renoir for the chapels.
13 février 2002
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 13 février 2002 (≈ 2002)
Official protection of the fifteen stations and the calvary.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The chapel of the first station (Box B 316); the chapel of the second station (Box B 314); the chapel of the third station (Box B 311); the chapel of the fourth station (Box B 327); the chapel of the fifth station (Box B 326); the chapel of the sixth station (box B 324); the chapel of the seventh station (box B 330); the chapel of the eighth station (box B 332); the chapel of the ninth station (box B 331); the chapel of the tenth station (box B 333); the calvary with its three crosses and its carved group which constitutes the eleventh station (Box B 329); the chapel of the twelfth station (Box B 335); the marble Pietà which constitutes the thirteenth station (Box B 328); the chapel of the fourteenth station (Box B 336); the Chapel of the Resurrection, fifteenth station (Box B 337); the hill and plate plot (Box B 328); the rural road serving the resorts (cad. Public domain, not cadastre): classification by order of 13 February 2002
Key figures
Alexandre Renoir - Sculptor
Author of bas-reliefs (1841-1845).
Michel Garicoits - Architect
Designer of eclectic chapels.
Origin and history
The outer Calvary and Cross Road of Lestelle-Betharram accompanies the Church of Notre-Dame de Béthéran, an important pilgrimage site. This type of monument, typical of major religious sites, consists of a cross path leading to a calvary. The original 17th century cross path was destroyed during the French Revolution. In 1805, the stations were noted, but it was between 1841 and 1845 that the sculptor Alexandre Renoir realized the current bas-reliefs representing the cycle of the Passion, integrated in chapels with eclectic style combining Romanesque and Byzantine influences.
The monument was classified as Historical Monuments by order of 13 February 2002. It comprises fifteen stations, each housed in a separate chapel, as well as a final calvary with three crosses and a carved group. The fifteenth station, dedicated to the Resurrection, closes the course. The architect Michel Garicoits and the sculptor Alexandre Renoir, key figures of this project, marked this site with their artistic and architectural contribution. The Way of the Cross is now managed by an association.
The chapels, the Calvary, the surrounding hill and the rural road serving the resorts are protected. This monument illustrates the rebirth of devotional practices in the 19th century, in a post-revolutionary context marked by the restoration of religious symbols. The location in Lestelle-Betharram in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques reinforces its anchoring in a historical pilgrimage territory, linked to the local Marian tradition.
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