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Origin and history

The Church of St. Mary of the Eula, located in the Soler in the Pyrénées-Orientales, is a Romanesque chapel originally attached to a Cistercian monastery. The latter depended on the Abbey of Fontfroide, and its existence was attested as early as 1174. However, the religious community quickly disappeared: the nuns were expelled for the first time in 1285 by Philip III the Hardi, then definitively in 1365 after attacks by robbers. The buildings, inspired by the plan of the abbey of Ardorel (common in the region), were then converted into a farm, a mas still visible today.

The site illustrates the contrasting destiny of Cistercian establishments in Roussillon. After its abandonment, the church lost its religious function but preserved an architectural trace thanks to its conversion to rural habitat. This model of transformation, common in the Eastern Pyrenees, reflects the medieval political and social upheavals, between feudal conflicts and the decline of monastic orders. The current remains, although modified, recall the past importance of Cistercian networks in the territorial organization.

No detailed description of original Romanesque architecture is available from the sources consulted. However, the chapel is part of a series of similar buildings in the region, such as those of Sirach, Valbonne or Sainte-Marie de Jau, sharing common characteristics related to the Cistercian order. His history is documented in specialized books, such as the forgotten Romanesque Churches of Roussillon (Géraldine Mallet, 2003), which highlight his role in local religious heritage.

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