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Biography: Navarre and Pamplona
The Pablo Sarasate Museum
The legacy bequeathed by the illustrious violinist and composer Pablo Sarasate to the city of Pamplona can be seen in the ancient neoclassical chapel belonging to the San Juan Bautista College or San Juan Seminary. This building also houses the City’s Public Records Office, and is located at No. 11, Calle del Mercado, just behind City Hall.
The museum not only boasts the only false vault in the city, over the entrance, but also houses items pertaining to the life and work of Sarasate (1844-1908), the most famous musician ever to have emerged from Pamplona.
The museum has seven glass display cabinets and four panels, which exhibit the most important pieces of the musician’s legacy to Pamplona City Council, a few years before his death, including watches and jewellery, insignias, crowns and diplomas, bronze pieces, paintings, furniture and souvenirs, as well as musical instruments.
The items are grouped into four themes: family and friends; personal objects; public recognition (gifts, insignias and honours), and musical items. The collection also includes the numerous gifts he received from royalty and emperors, music scores, musical works and programmes, Russian enamel cigarette cases and gold watches and chains.
A bronze bust, by Mariano Benlliure; a portrait painted by José Llaneces, his “Vuillaume” and “Gaul & Bernardel” violins and the “Bechtein” piano that he was never without... these are a few of the main attractions of this exhibition.
The collection of jewellery includes a magnificent gold watch given to the musician by Napoleon III, with blue enamel and crystals forming the letter N on one of the covers, as well as a number of other pieces given to him by kings and princes, magnates and eminent figures from all over the world.
The inside wall of the building still retains the original paint effect, albeit restored, which simulates broken stonework mounted on a wooden base, decorated with typical neogothic motifs.
Opening hours:
Mondays to Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, closed. Free entry. Tel. No. (34) 948 420189.
My dear fellow countrymen know that I’ll never change; I’ll always love my country and my people, the people from Navarra…
