Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de La Bastide-Clairence, Gothic church in La Bastide-Clairence, France
The Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption is a Gothic church with a three-gallery nave flanked by columns and arched passages. The building combines ferruginous sandstone with limestone from Bidache, and a square tower rises prominently above the structure.
The church was consecrated in 1315 by Bishop Arnaud de Puyana of Pamplona, establishing it as a place of worship in this region. Major reconstruction took place between 1776 and 1779, giving the building much of its present appearance.
The church is named after the Assumption of Mary and displays 72 decorated wooden coffers featuring coats of arms throughout its ceiling. These ornaments, together with three large paintings in the choir depicting religious figures, speak to the religious devotion of those who built and used this space.
The church is located in the small town of La Bastide-Clairence and can be easily found from the main street. The interior is readily visible, with morning light providing the best view of the ceiling coffers and decorative details.
Inside the church grounds lies a covered cemetery paved with funeral slabs - the only preserved example of this type in the Basque region. This unusual arrangement shows how burials once took place directly adjacent to the church building.
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