NOTRE DAME CHURCH
The construction of this church was decided in 1913 in homage to Our Lady of Lourdes, by Monseigneur Gieure bishop of Bayonne
It sits at the heart of the town and its construction was decided in 1913 in homage to Notre-Dame de Lourdes, by Monsignor Gieure, Bishop of Bayonne, Lescar and Oloron. The founding parish priest is Raymond Campo, nicknamed the building priest, whose mosaic portrait adorns the facade of the adjoining presbytery. He remained at the head of the parish until his death. His foundation was an ambitious programme that employed the most famous local craftsmen and artists. The work, financed by donations, was carried out under the direction of the Palois architect Jean Poeylau. The imposing 50-metre bell tower required 600 kilos of bronze for its bell and the interior ornamentation took place until 1933. The stained-glass windows, signed by the Maumejean d'Hendaye workshop, have a finesse and dominant blue and red tones and are mostly devoted to the mysteries of the Rosary which evoke the significant events in the life of the Virgin. Inside, the decoration is spectacular thanks to Ernest Gabard's sculptures, in particular the 17-tonne sculpture of the Virgin and Child, 7.5 metres high, or the two holy water fonts. The heterogeneous ensemble of the building combines modern aspirations with the legacies of the 19th century.
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