Chest opened
+${chestReward.xp} XP
Explorer
NOUVEAU ×${chestReward.collectible.quantity}
tapez pour fermer

See the monuments around you in AR Open chests in the app

Around Us is built for your phone — point your camera at the streets and discover the monuments and places around you in augmented reality. Around Us is built for your phone — chests unlock when you walk, explore and capture nearby places.

•

Enable Location

We need your location to show you interesting places around you

Discover nearby places

Find interesting locations and hidden gems around you

Precise directions

Get accurate directions and distances to places

Your location is never shared with other users. It's only used when you tap the location button.

Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci de Planès

Log in to your account

Start exploring — it's free

Trusted by 93,125 travelers worldwide

Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
or

We will send you a code to connect

By continuing, you accept our Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy

Check your inbox

We've sent a pincode in your inbox. Please enter the code below.

Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci de Planès

Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci de Planès, Romanesque church in Planès, France

The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci de Planès is a small Romanesque church in Planès, near Mont-Louis in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Its walls form an irregular circle set within an equilateral triangle, with three semicircular apsidioles at the corners. The central ovoid dome rests on round arches and small squinches above niches in three supporting piers. Outside, a cylindrical tower with a conical tiled roof hides the dome, topped by a square belfry with two round-arched openings holding bells.

The church is first documented in 1442, though specialists today date the building to the 11th century; its promoter was the abbot Oliba. Locals called it Mesquita, "mosque" in Catalan. In the 19th century Romantics linked it to the 8th-century chronicle of the Anonymous of Córdoba, making it the tomb of Munuza, killed in 729. It was classified a monument historique in the 1840 list.

Locals long called the building "Mesquita", Catalan for mosque, though the reason is unrecorded. The name Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci refers to Our Lady of Mercy. A polychrome wooden Virgin of the 12th or 13th century, close in style to those of Odeillo and Err, is kept here; legend says it was hidden at the approach of Saracen raiders and found again by a bull.

The church stands in the village of Planès, near Mont-Louis in the Pyrénées-Orientales, so it is reached on foot within the village rather than by mountain trail. The entrance is the arched wooden door in the western angle of the building; an earlier doorway appears to have been in the western absidiole. The thick rendering over rough rubble masonry leaves few datable features on the exterior.

The church was long known locally as Mesquita, Catalan for "mosque", a name that fed 19th-century Romantic speculation linking it to the 8th-century Muslim presence in Cerdanya. The Romantics even made it the tomb of Munuza, the Berber chief killed in 729, said to have been raised by Lampégie, daughter of Duke Eudes of Aquitaine.

The community of curious travelers

AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,125 contributors worldwide.

Start exploring
Location
Inception
11 century
Architectural style
Romanesque architecture
Elevation above the sea
1,529.8 m
GPS coordinates
42.49170,2.14117
Latest update
October 26, 2026 10:47
Reviews
Share your experience

No review yet

Discussions
Start a discussion...

No discussion yet

« Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci de Planès - Romanesque church in Planès, France » is provided by Around Us (aroundus.com). Images and texts are derived from Wikimedia project under a Creative Commons license. You are allowed to copy, distribute, and modify copies of this page, under the conditions set by the license, as long as this note is clearly visible.

Discover hidden gems everywhere you go!

From secret cafés to breathtaking viewpoints, skip the crowded tourist spots and find places that match your style. Our app makes it easy with voice search, smart filtering, route optimization, and insider tips from travelers worldwide. Download now for the complete mobile experience.

Around Us App Screenshot
❝

A unique approach to discovering new places❞

— Le Figaro

❝

All the places worth exploring❞

— France Info

❝

A tailor-made excursion in just a few clicks❞

— 20 Minutes

Around Us
Travel Guide & Maps
Download

Send to your phone

QR Code
1

Open the camera app on your mobile.

2

Point at the QR code with your camera. A notification will appear.

3

Tap the notification to open the link.