Santa María de Roncesvalles, Medieval wooden statue in Colegiata de Santa María, Roncesvalles, Spain
Santa María de Roncesvalles is a wooden sculpture approximately 90 centimeters tall with silver embellishments housed in the Collegiate Church in the Pyrenees. The work stands beneath a modern protective canopy in the Gothic building, displaying carved wooden details enhanced with silver accents.
The sculpture was created around 1400 following a fire that destroyed the original work. It was crafted as a replacement and has stood in the church since that rebuilding period.
The statue depicts the Virgin Mary and draws reverence from pilgrims walking the French Way, one of Europe's most important pilgrimage routes. Visitors touch and pray before it, showing how this religious tradition remains alive and practiced today.
The sculpture is located in the main church beneath a protective canopy and is viewable during the Collegiate's regular hours. Visitors should remember this is a religious site where respectful clothing and behavior are expected.
Local tradition tells that the statue was discovered after a deer with luminous stars led people to a location beneath an arch-shaped wall. This miraculous story shapes how pilgrims view this work today.
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