La Rhune
| Larrun | |
|---|---|
| La Rhune | |
Larrun in the snow
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 905 m (2,969 ft) |
| Prominence | 670 m (2,200 ft) |
| Coordinates | 43°18′33″N 1°38′08″W / 43.30917°N 1.63556°WCoordinates: 43°18′33″N 1°38′08″W / 43.30917°N 1.63556°W |
| Geography | |
 Larrun
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| Parent range | Pyrenees |
Larrun (modern French: La Rhune, IPA: [la'run], - 'good pasture', possibly a folk etymology, in French until the 20th century: Larhune ) is a mountain (905 m) at the western end of the Pyrenees. It is located on the border of France and Spain, where the traditional Basque provinces of Labourd and Navarra meet. Its prominence is 670 m.
Larrun holds an iconic place in Basque culture. It is covered in dolmens, stone circles and other neolithic monuments and was held to be a sacred place in Basque mythology. It was said to be the home of Lehensugea, the first serpent. Later, and perhaps as a consequence of the ancient sacred sites, the summit had a reputation as an akelarre or ritual meeting place for witches. Up until the 18th century, local villages paid for a monk to live as a hermit at the top of the mountain to keep witches away and ensure good winds.
The mountain was used by French troops as a defensive position towards the end of the Peninsular War, but Wellington's forces drove those of Marshal Soult off the mountain during the Battle of Nivelle on November 10, 1813, this action leaving France open for Wellington's successful march north to Paris.
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Wikipedia