Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Cathedral of Sainte-Marie d'Oloron, located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, finds its origins in the 11th century, when Bishop Amat laid the first stone of the Church of Sainte-Croix around 1080. The current building, mainly Gothic, was rebuilt after several destructions, including a 13th century fire and looting in 1569. The choir and bedside date from the 14th century, while the side chapels were added in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The Romanesque portal, protected by a 12th century bell tower, is a vestige of the early cathedral. His tympanum, adorned with a rare descent of the cross, is attributed to the master of Oloron, an influential sculptor on the roads of Compostela. The monument, the episcopal seat until 1802, was classified as a historical monument in 1939 and registered with UNESCO in 1998 for its link to the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela.

The cathedral underwent numerous restorations, notably in the nineteenth century, after damage caused by lightning in 1302, wars of Religion, and burglary in 2019. Its treasure, composed of liturgical objects of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, was housed in the lateral chapels. The organ, built in the 17th century and restored by Cavaillé-Coll in 1870, is a remarkable part of its heritage.

The building combines various architectural influences, reflecting its turbulent history. The walkway and the radiant chapels of the bedside, built in the 14th century, contrast with the nave of the 12th and 13th centuries. The portal, with its sculptures of the old Apocalypse and its anecdotal scenes, bears witness to artistic exchanges along the paths of Compostela.

The cathedral played a central role in the religious and political life of Béarn. It was the seat of the second Baron du Béarn, after the bishop of Lescar. Its history is marked by conflicts, such as the excommunication of the Viscount of Béarn in 1212 for his involvement in religious disturbances, or the destructions related to the wars of Religion in the sixteenth century.

Future

The Cathedral of Sainte-Marie d'Oloron is one of the 71 monuments and 7 portions of paths have been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1998 under the official title of "Chemins de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle en France".

It is on the way to Via Tolosana or "Toulousaine Way" which passes through Toulouse, hence its name, but its starting point is at Arles from where its other name of way to Arles (via Arelatensis).

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