Designated as a historical monument in 1931.
There are no archaeological remains of the original church mentioned in the cartulary (i.e. archives) of the Bayonne Cathedral in the 12th century. However, the current building still has a significant medieval part which includes twin bay windows as well as arrow slits / cannon ports. The Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church was enlarged and raised in the 17th century to welcome all the faithful of the growing maritime town and is an unmissable example of the religious architecture of the Labourd area built by the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Its unique nave is structured by four floors of galleries. The gallery under the organ guides the eyes of visitors towards its choir, in which a monumental baroque altarpiece from 1669 lights up the edifice. The altarpiece consists of 20 statues and can be used for a pictural bible study, thanks to its expressive and coloured figures as well as its twisted columns decorated with vines and birds. On the 9th of June 1660, as the church was still being rebuilt, the royal wedding of Louis XIV of France with the Spanish Infanta took place, which marked the history of Saint-Jean-de-Luz with its star power.