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Origin and history

The collegiate Notre-Dame-de-la-Carce de Marvejols found its origins in the 12th century, according to a legend linked to the liberation of an Aragonese Prince prisoner, attributed to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. This account explains his name, Carce (prison in Occitan), and the local veneration of Notre-Dame. The early church, which became a collegiate church in 1310, was destroyed in 1586 during the Wars of Religion, when the Catholic troops of Anne de Batarnay de Joyeuse shaved Marvejols in retaliation for the Protestant abuses of Matthew Merle.

The reconstruction began in 1654 and ended in 1681, following the post-Trident principles inspired by the Society of Jesus. The present building, still standing, was embellished in the 19th century: Marcellin Laporte made an interior painted decoration there between 1860 and 1867, while in 1893-1895, towering towers and foothills were added to the façade. Enlisted for historical monuments in 1987, the collegiate church — now parish church — preserves objects listed in the Palissy base.

Its architecture reflects the religious and political evolutions of the Lozère, from the Middle Ages to modern changes. The founding legend, destructions linked to religious conflicts, and reconstruction campaigns illustrate its central role in local history, between Marian devotion and stylistic adaptations. The building remains a major testimony of sacred art in Occitanie, marked by Jesuit influences and 19th century restorations.

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