CASTILLO DE JAVIER

Birthplace of Saint Francis Xavier, patron saint of Navarre, this medieval fortress with crenellated towers gathers thousands of Navarrese every year during the Javierada pilgrimage. Guided tours, organised by the Jesuits, allow visitors to discover six huge Baroque paintings by Godofredo Maes and the Chapel of Christ, whose walls are decorated with a medieval fresco on the theme of the Dance of Death. The chapel also houses a Gothic statue of Jesus on the cross, who is said to have shed tears of blood on the day of the death of Francis Xavier.