Roncesvalles

Roncesvalles (French: Roncevaux) is a village of northern Spain, in the province of Navarre; situated on the small river Urrobi, at an altitude of 3220 ft. among the Pyrenees, and within 5 m. from the French frontier. Pop. (1900) 152.

Roncesvalles is famous in history and legend for the defeat of Charlemagne and the death of Roland in 778, during the battle of Roncevaux Pass.

The small collegiate church contains several curious relics associated with Roland, and is a favorite place of pilgrimage. The battle is said to have been fought in the picturesque valley known as Val Carlos, which is now occupied by a hamlet bearing the same name, and in the adjoining defile of Ibañeta (Roncevaux Pass). Both of these are traversed by the main road leading north from Roncesvalles to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, in France.

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.