Church of Saint Mary of Eunate

Muruzábal, Spain

The Church of Saint Mary of Eunate is a 12th-century Romanesque church located about 2 km south-east of Muruzábal, Navarre, Spain, on the Way of Saint James. Its origins are disputed due to lack of documentation. Its octagonal plan and the fact that it is not located in a present-day village or town but in the countryside contribute to its enigmatic nature. It is a famous site on the French Way path of the Camino de Santiago.

The church is built of dressed stone and its plan is a slightly irregular octagon with a little three-side apse. It presents the typical architectural features of the European Romanesque art (dressed-stone masonry, robust walls, semicircular arches, little windows made of alabaster, etc.) as well as some other local Romanesque characteristics like the chessboard-shape decoration in Navarre and Aragon.

Its eight walls sustain an eight-rib vault, inspired in Cordova's caliphate art. This structure is very similar to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Torres del Río, Navarre, 55 km far from Eunate and also on the Way of Saint James. The whole building is surrounded by arches that seem to have been partially reconstructed more recent than the original construction of the church. They may have been built centuries later using rests of a hypothetical now disappeared cloister.

The church is a hermitage dedicated to the Virgin Mary and people from all of the Valdizarbe valley celebrate a traditional romería there. This function is the only unquestioned known use of the building as it is the only one that is documented. The early documented reference to Eunate dates from 1487 and refers to a sodality devoted to the Virgin of Eunate. Nevertheless, the characteristics of the building, its location on the Way of Saint James and the comparison with other coetaneous religious buildings demands further explanation about the origin of the church.

Since the late 19th century, there have been several theories about the original function and authorship of Eunate. Due to its octagonal plan, the first theories stated that Eunate was a Templar church, related to other central plan churches like the above mentioned Holy Sepulchre of Torres del Río, and other undoubtedly Templar buildings like the Templar convent of Tomar, the Temple Church of London or the Holy Sepulchre of Pisa; all of them inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. This alleged Templar origin and the aura of mystery that surrounds the church have contributed to esoteric interpretations. While the presence of Knights Templar in this zone of Navarre is not documented, the importance of another military order, the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem or Knights Hospitaller, that could have operated a hospital ('hostel') for pilgrims to Santiago, is well known. Archaeological excavations have found many burials and the typical St. James' shells.

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Muruzábal, Spain
See all sites in Muruzábal

Details

Founded: 12th century
Category: Religious sites in Spain

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Dave Evans (3 months ago)
Beautiful church a short detour from the Camino, a must see really if you are in that area. Amazing historical architecture and a magical spell-binding place to spend some time, especially so if you are walking the Camino. A very peaceful place, and there were only 2 or 3 people there when I went (end of September), and I had the inside of the church to myself. Normally there is a fee to enter, but it is free to pilgrims (upon presentation of your credential).
Igor Kaligarič (4 months ago)
A real gem hidden from the Camino path, but we'll worthwhile a detour.
John Berger (6 months ago)
A beautiful old 12-century Catholic Church, a short detour from the Camino de Santiago. Tickets are required to enter, but if you’re a pilgrim you get a small discount. It’s a really great example of Romanesque art and the fact that its interior vault is imperfect adds to the charm. To get here from the main Camino route, enter the small town of Muruzábal and follow signs to Eunate. It’s a 30 minute walk and you can see the small church in the distance. Getting back in the Camino sucks a little bit - as you’re directed to follow the road for a couple miles but it’s well-worth the detour!
Guy Shachar (‫גיא שחר‬‎) (7 months ago)
This is a charming church, a must visit for architects and those who like the romanesque style. It is located in a nice scenic landscape. Octagonal in shape. Make sure to visit when it is open.
Sotiris Gizas (7 months ago)
From this church, I started my journey to Santiago Compostela path. It was a really nice experience for me and I definitely suggested to everyone not only to visit this path but also to go to this church.
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