So here you go , a monument briefly touch base before on my road warrior ways of the southwest of my belle France. I have other posts on Mauléon-Licharre but need to tell you about this church in its own post. Therefore, here is my take on the Church St. John the Baptist. Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Mauléon-Licharre is located in the department 64 of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Only 59 km by road from Pau where we were based. It is located in the heart of the historical province of Soule, at the foot of the Pyrenees. Mauléon, an old feudal town, was built on the right bank of the Saison river or gave of Mauléon, at the foot of a hill where the ruins of the castle rise. The current town was created in 1841 by the union of the towns of Mauléon and Licharre. Mauléon-Licharre is the capital of the espadrille. The manufacture of espadrilles, sandals and ankle boots, boots and rubber clogs, is an important part of the activity. The rest is agriculture (breeding, pastures) for which the town is part of the appellation area of Ossau-Iraty. Here we also do the Etorki.Some of our favorite cheeses in France!
However, this post is really to tell you a bit more about the Church St John the Baptist of Mauléon-Licharre! Mauléon-Licharre is one of the off the beaten path towns of my belle France and within it, the church should the top away from the more popular venues in town.
The Church of St. John the Baptist was built in the late 19C. The decision dates from 1877, the first stone was laid in 1879 and it was consecrated on May 24, 1885. It was partly built with stones from the Church of Licharre which had been demolished. In the five following years, it was equipped with glass roofs, then the choir and the nave are decorated with paintings. Its dimensions are approximately 48 meters long and 23 meters wide. The clock located at the bottom of its spire is quite rare in local churches. This is deep Soule territory!
Some other things to see here , me think are the fact the writer Pierre Benoit used this location for the action of his novel for Don Carlos ,la Maison de La Fee (fairy ), at 8 Rue du Fort, known as the oldest in Mauléon. It bears the date of 1485 but probably dates more like 1785. The Maison de Bela which dominates the upper town with its Rounded tower. It is particularly well known because in 1587 its owner, Gérard de Béla, decided to introduce taxes, an innovation that displeased particularly the inhabitants of the city. The market or halles dated 1765, was claimed by the inhabitants since the terrible fire of 1641 which had destroyed about 20 houses, leaving only eleven that could still properly shelter the market under their awnings. The Chapel of Saint-Jean-de-Berraute is attested from 1220. It was part of the Commandery run by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem or Knights of Malta. The Notre-Dame Church in the Upper Town; it has a parchment of 1373 which gave permission of the Bishop of Oloron to build a new chapel. The Chapel even though it was small, became Church and even Cathedral, having sheltered, with its contiguous houses the bishop of Oloron and his chapter of canons on two occasions, from 1378 to 1412, during the Great Schism of the West which saw the Catholics divide between supporters of the Pope of Rome and those of that of Avignon . And again, from 1570 to 1599 during the Wars of religion. The Bishop of Oloron Claude Régis, expelled from his cathedral by the Protestants, took refuge in this Church to which he bequeathed his heart at his death in 1592. The Calvary (or white Cross) from the 17C made in white marble located in the Rue de Navarre is a marble column erected at the site of the walnut tree where the judges of the ancient Court of Licharre, (today a crossroads in the traffic roundabout), were gathered.
The town of Mauléon-Licharre on its history/heritage: https://www.mauleon.fr/mauleon/notre-territoire/mauleon-ville/
The Basque country Soule region tourism on Mauléon-Licharre and its heritage: https://www.en-pays-basque.fr/en/territory-and-destination/mauleon-and-the-soule-region/
A local informative site on the region of the Soule and Mauléon-Licharre: http://www.lasoule-leguide.fr/les-cantons/canton-de-mauleon-licharre
This is a nice town and many goodies we like here ! Not to mention nice history and beautiful architecture in the off the beaten path area of Mauléon-Licharre, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Church St John the Baptist as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 