Oloron-Sainte-Marie

Sister cities

• Jaca

History

The town was founded by the Romans in the 1st century, then known as Illoronensium. Situated on the Roman way between the important towns of Dax and Zaragoza, its position was strategic. Today known as Saint-Grat, Gratus of Oloron became in 506 the first known archbishop of the Ancient Diocese of Oloron then known as "Iluro". The history of the town during the Migration Period is little known. In 1080, the viscount Centule V, Viscount of Béarn built the new city of "Oloron" (medieval version of the Roman name Iluro) on the opposite side of the river from the diocese center. Centule V restored the Roman walls and founded the strong city of Oloron that was to be used as a base to retake Aragon held by the Moors. The Oloron Cathedral was built at the beginning of the 12th century. The viscountal town of Oloron and the episcopal town of Sainte-Marie were then rivals, but Oloron strove on its textile industry and commerce with neighbouring Spain. Sainte-Marie became economically dependent upon Oloron. The 18th century was the beginning of revival for Sainte-Marie as the end of French Wars of Religion allowed for restorations and new religious constructions in the town: cathedral, seminary, church Saint-Pierre. Moreover, the continued boom of commerce with Spain accelerated the construction of better communication and transportation routes to Oloron and Sainte-Marie. With the French Revolution, Oloron lost its diocese to Bayonne but gained administrative importance by becoming one of the sous-préfectures of the new Republic. In 1858, the regent Empress Eugénie imposed the reunification of the towns of Oloron and Sainte-Marie.

Geography

Situated at the feet of the Pyrénées, 50 km from the Spanish border and 100 km from the Atlantic ocean, Oloron-Sainte-Marie is at the confluence of two torrents (gaves), the Gave d'Aspe and the Gave d'Ossau, that merge to form the Gave d'Oloron. Capital of the Haut-Béarn, Oloron-Sainte-Marie is also at the point of origin of the three Haut-Béarn valleys : the Aspe Valley, the Ossau Valley and the Barétous Valley. Neighboring communes: Esquiule, Moumour, Ledeuix, Estos, Cardesse, Monein, Goès, Précilhon, Escout, Herrère, Ogeu-les-Bains, Buziet, Arudy, Escot, Asasp-Arros, Lurbe-Saint-Christau, Eysus, Gurmençon, Bidos, Agnos, Ance and Féas. The town has an oceanic climate, with mild and humid winters and cool or moderately warm summers. Rain is quite abundant (above 900 mm per year) and is mostly concentrated during cold season.

Most recent

• M 4 — 2023-04-17
  11 km SSW of La Barthe-de-Neste, France
• M 4.4 — 2020-10-01
  3 km NNE of Huarte-Uharte, Spain
• M 4.6 — 2020-09-30
  3 km ESE of Huarte-Uharte, Spain
• M 3.5 — 2018-08-06
  8 km SSW of Capvern, France
• M 4.1 — 2017-03-10
  Pyrenees
• M 3.9 — 2016-04-25
  3 km E of Arthez-de-Béarn, France