Ancient Diocese of Oloron

Oloron Cathedral

The former Catholic Diocese of Oloron in south-west France was suppressed after the French Revolution, by the Concordat of 1801. It dated from the 6th century, but its territory became part of the diocese of Bayonne.

The Way of St James passes through Oloron going to Santiago.[1]

Notable buildings

The seat of the bishops of Oloron was in Oloron Cathedral in Oloron-Sainte-Marie, now in Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The cathedral has now reverted to a parish church.

The former Oloron Cathedral, now St Mary's Church.

Another signifincant building is Chateau de Lamothe, dating from the early 1100s, when a Moorish fortification on the hill,[2] was destroyed as the French drove the Moorish forces from France, and rebuilt to serve as the summer residence for the bishops of Oloron, a role it filled for 600 years.[3][4]


Bishops

References

  1. ↑ the Arles route
  2. ↑ hence the town's name: Moumour = Mount Moor.
  3. ↑ During the French revolution Chateau de Lamothe was once again destroyed and rebuilt to become the home of the Lamothe family, who lived there until 1956. It later became a holiday colony for children of the local paper factory's employees. For years it was abandoned until it was acquired by Christine and Laurent Nederlof, who created a retreat.
  4. ↑ Moumour, Oloron Sainte Marie at The International Kitchen.com