History of Lourdes
Cold Climate
A cold climate prevailed for thousands of years. The valleys and the Gave de Pau were born of the glaciers which were then established.
Cave Settlements
The climate softened and later Man settled in the caves on the lower slopes of the Pyrenees hunting wild animals: horse, reindeer and bison. The land was cleared and cultivated, and animal rearing was the primary vocation.
Romans
The Romans were the first to take commercial advantage of the rocky outcrop by constructing the Via Aquitania: a Roman road created in 118 BC in the Roman province of Gaul. It started at Narbonne on the Mediterranean Sea and went to the Atlantic Ocean, via Toulouse and Bordeaux, covering approximately 400 kilometres.
Towns and Villages
It was this road that gave way to the establishment of several towns and villages within its proximity. What we now know as Lourdes was one of these.
Lourdes
Lourdes was a village, home to the peaceful Bigourdans. Over the years, it’s location at the foothills of the Pyrenean valleys meant it became inhabited by many a foreign race, from the Roman eagles, all down through the Visigoths, Saracens, and Franks.
Pyrenees & Lourdes
Around 65million years ago the African and Indian continents drifted north, slowly pushing the Iberian microplate against the Eurasian plate. This raised and folded the 'new' ocean floor sediments creating the Pyrenees Mountain range.
The Castle of Mirambel
In 732, Charles Martel drove the Saracens (Tribes of Arabia) out of France, and they headed towards Spain. In their escape, some groups of the Saracen army remained at the fortresses of Aquitaine. Among these was the castle of Mirambel, which was situated on a rock near Lourdes.
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Charlemagne was a medieval emperor who ruled much of Western Europe from 768 to 814; he is referred to as some as the ‘father of Europe’. In 778, on his return from Spain, he laid siege to Mirambel; it was surrounded by his men. The Saracen forces trapped there were under the command of leader, Mirat, who had sworn by Mohammed that he would never surrender to any mortal man.
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After many attempts to conquer the enemy, Charlemange resorted to reducing the Saracen troops to starvation. As their supplies ran low, an eagle flew over their fortress and happened to drop a trout within their walls. Mirat flung the fish out toward Charlemange’s troops so as, from the outside, it seemed the Saracens had much food.
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Facing a seemingly fully resourced enemy, Charlemange had the choice of either pressing closer with his men, which could be very dangerous against such a castle, or of giving up all hope of driving the Saracens out of France.
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Charlemange’s army chaplain, Roracius (Bishop of Le Puy), suspected a trick on the part of Mirat and obtained an opportunity to speak with the Muslim leader. He discovered the truth: the Saracen’s were out of resources and had nothing to survive on. They were starving and the Bishop suggested to Mirat that he surrender in peace. But Mirat protested on account of his oath to Mohammed. The Bishop responded, “Brave Prince, you have sworn never to yield to any mortal man. Could you surrender to an immortal Lady? Mary, Queen of Heaven?”
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Freed from the bonds of his pagan oath, the Saracen leader surrendered peacefully and received the grace to enter the Catholic Church. He was baptised “Lorus” and knighted by Charlemange himself. Lorus was then placed in command of Mirambel.
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The town of Lourdes is said to take its name from this Lorus, the Saracen convert of Our Blessed Virgin Mary.
Château Fort de Lourdes
The castle became the home of the Counts of Bigorre in the 11th and 12th centuries.
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In the 13th century, it passed into the possession of the Counts of Champagne and formed part of the kingdom of Navarre before coming under the crown of France under King Phillipe IV.
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In 1360, the building was ceded to the English by the Treaty of Brétigny.
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It returned to France at the start of the 15th century and in the 17th century, the castle became a royal prison and then a state prison after the French Revolution.
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It continued in this role until the start of the 20th century, when it became the Pyrenean Museum which it remains today.
Marian Shrine
In 1858, Bernadette Soubirous receives 18 visions of the Blessed Virgin in a cave on the outskirts of the village. This miracle, recognised by the church, radically changes Lourdes.
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A chapel is built on the site of the apparitions and visitors from across France, Europe and later the world begin to flock to Lourdes to visit the holy sanctuary
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Around the sanctuary a new town springs up, a centre of Christian pilgrimage, with a worldwide reputation.
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In 1866 a railway station is built in Lourdes connecting initially to Toulouse, Pau and Bayonne, later with cities across Europe including London via the English Channel train-ferry.
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In the late 1940’s Tarbes Airport opens around 10km from Lourdes. It is later re-branded as Tarbes Lourdes Airport.
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From a milling and rural village with a population of around 4,000 inhabitants in 1858, Lourdes today has a population of almost 15,000 and welcomes around 6 million pilgrims each year.
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The sanctuary of Lourdes covers 53 hectares; houses 3 basilicas and 22 churches and chapels.
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Surrounding the holy sanctuary – and to effectively look after so many pilgrims - Lourdes has developed into one of France’s largest locations for hotel capacity. Almost 350 hotels offer around 40,000 beds.