Puente la Reina/Gares

Puente la Reina is an important crossroads where the two branches of the French Way merge: the one coming from Roncesvalles and the one coming from Somport. This makes it one of the towns with the greatest “Compostelan” spirit in Navarre. The main street is dotted with interesting monuments erected over time as a reflection of the strength the locality has won thanks to the passage of thousands and thousands of pilgrims over a millennium. Manor houses, churches, convents, two medieval bridges and interesting gastronomic proposals are the great attractions that this historic enclave has to offer.

• Romanesque bridge: impressive engineering work over the river Arga to facilitate the passage of pilgrims after walking along the main street of the town. Queen Doña Mayor, after whom it was named, ordered it to be built in the 11th century, measuring 110 metres. LEGEND OF THE WAY: In the central part of the bridge there was a niche with a statue of the Virgen del Puy, known as “Txori” – nowadays kept in the church of Santiago. Legend has it that every day a little bird (“txori”, in Basque) visited the statue, cleaned it with its beak and prevented accidents from happening. Then, the day the statue was moved to its new location, a man fell from the bridge and died.
• Gothic bridge: the focus is often put only on the famous bridge that gives its name to the town, but Puente la Reina/Gares has another small great work of engineering near the town centre: the bridge over the Robo river, with pointed arches and a more robust structure, but still not lacking in beauty and charm.
• Church of Santiago: located in the heart of the town, it maintains the Romanesque façade of the previous temple, with its lobed arch and its sculptural wealth of archivolts and capitals. Once inside, looking up at the sky, one can see finely crafted starry vaults and a Gothic carving of the Apostle, traditionally known as “Santiago Beltza” (“Saint James the Black”, in Basque). 
• Church of the Crucifijo: it is the church that welcomes pilgrims as they arrive in town. Of Templar origin, once inside one notices something odd: it is a Romanesque temple with an added Gothic nave, which results in a particular two-naved structure. The other curious feature is the carving of Christ Crucified. Dating from the 14th century, the wood is non-debarked and has a Y design.
• Medieval walls: the layout consisting of three parallel streets and several alleys connecting the streets (known as “belenas”) is purely medieval. This plan was created from scratch following the model of French bastides from southern France. Surrounding this urban layout, the belt of walls and towers enclosed and protected the local population. Only the walls that overlook the Paseo de los Fueros, the Torre del Relox and the tower at the beginning of the bridge remain today.
• Set of medieval and Baroque houses: Calle Mayor is dotted with manor houses and other noble buildings, whose façades with coats of arms and sculpted eaves stand out for their lively colour and exquisite workmanship.