Ujué and its church-fortress of Santa Maria * All PYRENEES

Ujué (Uxue in Basque) is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.

Since 2017 the city has been a part of the network “The most beautiful villages of Spain“.

Main attractions

Religious architecture

Church of Santa Maria is a Romanesque temple-fortress from the 11th century. Reformed in the 14th entury (1370 and 1375) and surrounded by a defensive wall that constitutes a splendid example of Navarrese Gothic.

It has a wide Gothic central nave, a Gothic choir and three Romanesque apses. The central one preserves interesting Romanesque arches, while columns with strange capitals and windows with blind arcades stand out on the sides.

It keeps numerous works of art inside. Among which stands out, behind a Gothic railing, an image of the Virgin of Ujué, dating from around 1190 and lined with silver in the 14th century, a great work of Romanesque imagery in Navarre. It also preserves the heart of Charles II of Navarre.

The church has a viewpoint facing south, from which there is a magnificent view of a good part of the Ribera de Navarra.

It was declared a National Monument by Ministerial Order of June 26, 1936.

Castillazo

To the north of the church and within a fairly large piece of land called Castillazo, are the ruins of the University of Carlos II.

Parish house

This is a 14th century building, it is also known as the Palace of Carlos II.

Other religious monuments:

Church of San Miguel (in ruins), in the lower part of the town; the façade is Romanesque from the 13th century and the rectangular nave is Gothic in style.

Ermita de la Blanca, 9 km from the town, on the road that connects Ujué with Murillo el Fruto. Heavily rebuilt, it initially belongs to the 13th century.