Morlaàs - Sainte-Foy

In 1080, when Morlaàs was in its heydays, the building of this church started by Centulle V, Viscount of Béarn, who had to make an atonement.
Morlaàs developed to an important "étape" on the Via Tolosana at that time. As the church was dedicated to St. Foy there was a kind of "link" to Conques. Later the pilgrimage business declined, the viscounts moved away, wars arose.... The church burnt down in 1520, got severely damaged in 1569. During the French Revolution the church turned to a "Temple of Reason". The restorations of the 19th century saved the structure.

Viollet-le-Duc, the influential "Inspecteur général des Edifices Diocésains" led the restoration of the portal, seen here. At all places, where he worked (eg "Carcasonne", "Vézelay"), he "recreated" and creatively "completed", what today is sometimes disputed. The perfect condition of the portal is a result of this restoration.

The base of the trumeau has these two chained persons, who have the weight of the portal on their shoulders. The early pilgrims saw these sculpted figures as "moors" - in the context of the ongoing Reconquista. The pilgrimage to Santiago itself was seen in that context by many of them.

Following the Via Tolosana, the pilgrims reached Oloron-Sainte-Marie just two days later. There is a very similar trumeau, "crowned" by St. Jaques in a "matamoro" pose.