Roland's Breach

2025-01-31T14:02:26Z

2600:1700:721:69CF:C5C3:4BF0:5963:C96D: grammar

{{Short description|Foot pass in the Pyrénées on the French–Spanish border}}
{{Hatnote|For the area in the cerebral cortex, see [[Central sulcus|fissure of Rolando]]}}
{{Infobox mountain pass
| name = Roland's Breach
| other_name = La Brèche de Roland
| photo = La breche de roland 2.jpg
| photo_caption = Roland's Breach as seen from the French side.
| elevation_m = 2804
| elevation_ref =
| traversed = foot
| map = Spain
| map_caption = Location of Roland's Breach
| map_size =
| label = Roland's breach
| coords = {{coord|42|41|27|N|00|02|01|W|type:pass_region:ES|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[Hautes-Pyrénées]], [[France]]<br>[[Province of Huesca|Huesca]], [[Spain]]
| range = [[Pyrenees]]
| topo =
}}
[[Image:BattleofRoncevauxWvBibra.jpg|left|thumb|Roland blows his olifant (ivory hunting horn) to summon help in the midst of the [[Battle of Roncevaux Pass|Battle of Roncevaux]] as portrayed in [[The Song of Roland]] with Roland's Breach in the background]]
'''Roland's Breach''' ({{langx|fr|La Brèche de Roland}}; {{langx|es|La Brecha de Rolando}}; {{langx|an|La Breca de Roldán}}; {{langx|eu|Errolanen Arraila}}; {{langx|ca|La Bretxa de Rotllà}})<ref>[http://www.summitpost.org/brecha-de-rolando/744300 "Brecha de Rolando"] summitpost.org, retrieved 2013-08-20</ref> is the name of a natural gap, 40 m across and 100 m high, at an elevation of 2,804 m in the [[Pyrenees]] on the border of [[Aragón]], northern Spain, and [[Hautes-Pyrénées]], southwestern France.

The gap is situated in the [[Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130608180416/http://reddeparquesnacionales.mma.es/parques/ordesa/guia_mapa.htm "Parque Nacional Ordesa y Monte Perdido"] archive.org, retrieved 2013-08-20</ref> on the Franco-Spanish border, close to the steep cliffs of the [[Cirque de Gavarnie]].

According to one legend, Roland's Breach was cut by Count [[Roland]] with his sword [[Durendal]] in an attempt to destroy the sword, after being defeated during the [[Battle of Roncesvalles]] in 778.{{cn|date=August 2018}} In a variant of one of the legends associated with [[Salto de Roldán]], a rock formation about {{convert|25|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of [[Huesca]], Roland ({{langx|es|Roldán}}), the foremost of [[Charlemagne]]'s [[Twelve Peers|paladins]], was being hotly pursued by [[Saracens]], the Muslim Arab occupiers of Spain. Cornered at Salto de Roldán, he escaped by leaping the chasm on horseback from one of the crags to the other; the horse died in the attempt. Roland continued northward on foot, and smote the Pyrenees with his sword to create Roland's Breach, so that he could see France one last time before he died.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://elpais.com/diario/2002/05/04/viajero/1020546496_850215.html |title=El increíble salto de Roldán y su caballo |first=Javier |last=Tomeo |newspaper=[[El País]] |date=4 May 2002 |language=Spanish |accessdate=10 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.clubrural.com/blog/leyendas-de-huesca-el-salto-de-roldan/ |title=Leyendas de Huesca: El Salto de Roldán |first=María |last=Díaz |website=clubrural.com |language=Spanish |date=25 November 2011 |accessdate=10 August 2019}}</ref>

The provenance of this myth is unclear as the Cirque du Gavarnie is approximately 150 km East South East from the Roncesvaux Pass where the legend of Roland is based.

The gap can be reached from the ''Refugio Sarradets'',<ref>[http://www.madteam.net/refugios/serradetsobrechaderolando2587m/ "Refugio Serradets o Brecha de Rolando 2587 m."] madteam.net, retrieved 2013-08-20</ref> a nearby mountain shelter, in about an hour's climb.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Breche de Roland en El Dedo.jpg|Roland's Breach as seen from the peninsular side
File:La breche de roland 3.jpg|Roland's Breach, seen from a distance
File:Brecha rolando.jpg|Roland's breach with some people passing through
File:Vue prise de la brèche de Roland (Pyrénées).JPG|Drawing of Roland's Breach circa 1877
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.summitpost.org/brecha-de-rolando/744300 "La Brecha de Rolando"] summitpost.org, retrieved 2013-08-20 (in French)
* [http://www.rutaspirineos.org/rutas/taillon-por-brecha-de-rolando-y-sarradets "Taillón (3.144m) por la Brecha de Rolando"] rutaspirineos.org, retrieved 2013-08-20 (in Spanish)
* [http://www.excellence-france-tourisme.fr/es/gavarnie/ Otras bellas fotos de la brecha de Rolando]

{{Matter of France}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roland's Breach}}
[[Category:Roland|Breach]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of Aragon]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of Spain]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of the Pyrenees]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of Hautes-Pyrénées]]
[[Category:France–Spain border crossings]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Hautes-Pyrénées]]

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Roland's Breach