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Church · Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Nova Aquitânia
Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste
The church where Louis XIV was married in 1660, with wooden galleries on three sides, a 17th-century gilded altarpiece and a votive ship hanging in the nave.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste
The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste was the scene of the wedding of Louis XIV to the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain in June 1660, which sealed the peace of the Treaty of the Pyrenees. The church was still under construction at the time: the expansion, built over a Romanesque 12th-century church, took about half a century and was not finished until the 1670s.
On the outside the walls are plain. According to tradition, the door through which the couple left was sealed with stone after the wedding so that no other couple could pass through it, and it remains walled up. Inside, the single nave is surrounded on three sides by dark wooden galleries, typical of Basque churches, rebuilt identical to the originals in 1857. In Basque churches, traditionally, men sat in the galleries and women below.
At the rear is the gilded wooden altarpiece, installed in 1669, the most monumental in the Basque Country, with saints on several tiers. Hanging from the ceiling is a votive ship, donated in 1865. The organ, built in 1659 for the royal wedding and later rebuilt, has its case protected as a historical monument.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 30 minutes.
Best time
In the morning or early afternoon, outside Mass times. At organ concerts, the acoustics of the wooden nave are a highlight; check the schedule.
How to get there
It's on rue Gambetta, the pedestrian street in the center, about a 3-minute walk from praça Louis XIV and the port.
Tip
Notice the bricked-up door on the side of the church. Look at the altarpiece slowly, from near the altar. Dress discreetly and avoid moving around during services.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Did Luís XIV get married in that church?
Yes. The marriage of Luís XIV to the Infanta Maria Teresa of Spain was celebrated in the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in June 1660.
Why is the church door bricked up?
According to tradition, the door through which the royal couple left was bricked up after the wedding so that no other couple would pass through it.
Why does the church have wooden galleries?
The wooden galleries around the nave are typical of Basque churches. Traditionally, men attended mass in the galleries and women below on the ground floor.