Ostabat-Asme

Ostabat - Asme (Basque: Izura - Azme ) is a commune of 200 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011 ) in the department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques in the Aquitaine region. In the small town, three of the French pilgrimage routes meet. Meet the Via Podiensis which as Camino Frances continues to Saint -Jean -Pied -de-Port and from there to Santiago de Compostela The Via Turonensis Coming from Tours and Via Lemovicensis coming from Vezelay.

Geography

Ostabat lies at the foot of the Pyrenees, in the extreme southwest of France and part of the French Basque country. Other districts are Gasteluzahare, Harambels and Laxague. Neighboring municipalities are: Lantabat in the West, Larceveau- Arros- Cibits and Juxue in the south, the east and Arhansus Orsanco and Uhart -Mixe in the north.

The nearest town is Orthez which is in a northeasterly direction along the route D933, D23 reached after about 47 kilometers of road. The next major French cities are Toulouse ( 206 km) east and Bordeaux ( 206 km) to the north.

History

The Basque name Izura - Azme means " slope below the cliff height".

The name Ostabat occurs as: Ostebad ( 1167 ), Ostavayll ( 12th century), Aussebat ( 1243 ), Ostabailles ( 1383 ), Sent -Johan d' Ostabat ( 1469 ), Ostabag and Hostabat ( 1472 ), Nostre - Done de l' Espitau d' Ostabat ( 1518) and Ostabat (1650). Azme ( 1481 ): The name Asme than occurs.

Ostabat infers from the historic affiliation with the region Pays d' Ostabarret belonging to Niedernavarra (French Basse- Navarre ), which included the French part of the former kingdom of Navarre. Ostabat and Asme were merged on 13 June 1841.

The place was built on the important Roman road which ran from Bordeaux via Pamplona to Astorga. From the 10th century Ostabat is an important place for pilgrims because here three major pilgrimage routes, the Coming Via Turonensis Coming from Tours, Via Lemovicensis coming from Vezelay and Via Podiensis from Le Puy -en -Velay meet. This place made ​​it particularly attractive to levy road tolls. In 1350, two hospices and over ten pilgrims' hostels were counted, where up to 5,000 pilgrims could stop them.

Way of St. James ( Via Podiensis )

Of the numerous medieval pilgrim facilities today is as good as get nothing. Today, there are a pilgrim hostel (French: Gîte d' étape ) and private rooms (French: Chambre d' hôtes ). The other St. James ( GR 65) leads through the rolling hills of the Pyrenees foothills about Saint -Jean -le- Vieux to the end point of the Via Podiensis to Saint -Jean -Pied -de-Port, where the Camino Francés to Santiago de Compostela, with the rise in the Pyrenees, starts. The landscape is characterized by small towns between meadows, pastures and woods. More accommodation options in front of Saint -Jean -le- Vieux there in Larcevau and Lacarre, both just off the GR 65 as a road link leads the D933 about Saint -Jean -le- Vieux to Saint -Jean -Pied -de-Port.

Culture, attractions and economy

• An early historic city walls into Gasteluzahare
• Farms from the 17th - 19th century
• Remains of the city wall, which was destroyed in 1228.
• Remains of the chapel of Saint- Nicolas de Myre from the 11th century
• The Château fort de Laxaga, a castle from the 13th and 16th centuries
• The chapel of Saint -Nicolas in Harambels from the 12th and 13th centuries. It is the only remnant of the monastery and hospice, which was St. Nicholas, the patron saint of travelers consecrated. It contains an altarpiece from the 17th century, as well as statues of apostles and Mary. There is a monogram on the Maltese cross can be seen with five stars and including a resting pilgrims over the door.
• The church of Saint -Jean -Baptiste dates from the late 19th century.

Approximately 40 % of the population works in agriculture, representing Schwerpunktge in livestock farming and viticulture.

Personalities

• Marcelo Mendiharat Pommies ( born 2 May 1914 in Ostabat - Asme ) was Bishop of Salto in Uruguay from 1949 to 1989