| Roncevaux Pass | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 1,057 m (3,468 ft) |
| Traversed by | N135 road |
| Location | |
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Roncevaux Pass
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| Location | Lower Navarre France / Navarre Spain |
| Range | Pyrenees |
Roncevaux Pass (Spanish: Puerto de Ibañeta; French: Col de Roncevaux; Basque: Ibañetako Mendatea; elevation 1057 m) is a high mountain pass in the Pyrenees near the border between France and Spain. The pass itself is entirely in Spain.
According to tradition, it is the site where Roland died during the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778, a landmark in Basque history leading to the foundation of the Kingdom of Pamplona. There is a tombstone near the pass commemorating the area where it is traditionally held that Roland died.
The pass is located near Roncesvalles (Spain) and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (France). It has customarily been an important point on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.
The route over the pass departs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side and from Lintzoain on the Spanish side.
The pass divides the valley of the Nive on the north from the valley of the Irati on the south.