The Church of St Blaise Hospital

Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques

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Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Way of St James, the charming 12th-century Church of L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise, located on the border between Béarn and the Basque Country, boasts exceptional Romanesque architecture inspired by the Hispano-Moresque style! Inside, the superb star-shaped cupola is highlighted by a sound and light show.

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The Church of St Blaise Hospital

From Romanesque design with its squat shape, its thick walls and small openings, the church has many elements of Spanish-Moorish architecture that give it its originality. This bare monument is characterized, among others, by its stone gates windows carved with rich decorative motifs inspired moucharabiehs, and by an octagonal cupola intersecting arches similar to the Mosque of Cordoba.
Classified as a historical monument in 1887, the church received in the early twentieth century some restorations for its backup. A century later, new restorations have allowed an exceptional discovery: a major part of the structure is in perfect condition and the cornices of bedside visible today date from the twelfth century. Unique in France, the Church of L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise is the testimony of the encounter between Christian and Muslim art. Due to all these features, the church is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1998.
The church is open all year from 10h to 19h. It is to perpetuate the tradition of hospitality in the village and showcase the heritage, the residents have set up church visits. Original and modern, these visits can discover the building through a comment and lighting effects.
Two types of tours are offered to visitors:

Individual visits: One "Audio-guided" 8 minutes - 7 languages. Through headphones, the visitor listens to a commentary while before him the building lights to the rhythm of the presentation. Participation is left to the visitor.
A "Sound and light" of 20 minutes - 5 languages. Sitting in the heart of the church, the visitor in the dark, is carried by the songs, lights and still and moving images that are projected around him. A true original and modern show that combines historical realities and highly technical. Every day from April to October 11h, 12h, 14h, 15h, 16h, 17h, 18h and 18:30.

Prices: € 5 / adults and € 2.50 / child.

Church of L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise

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Moorish Dome

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Window grid stone trellis

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Sound & Light Show

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Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques

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The Church of St Blaise Hospital

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Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques

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The Church of St Blaise Hospital