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Origin and history

The basilica Saint-Fris de Bassoues, located in Gers in Occitanie, originated in the 11th century as a simple church dependent on the abbey of Pessan. It was built on the tomb of St Fris, a legendary martyr who died in 732 fighting the Saracens, and soon became a place of pilgrimage thanks to its crypt containing its sarcophagus. Its atypical architectural plan includes a central nave leading to the crypt, and double stairs to higher chapels.

In the 16th century, the Archbishop of Auch, Bishop de Clermont-Lodève, undertook important works: embellishment of the building and addition of two Renaissance gates (1520). Damaged during the Wars of Religion (1570), it was restored in the 17th century and partially destroyed during the Revolution. A major reconstruction took place between 1847 and 1857, preserving its limestone, pink sandstone and brick elevations.

The basilica is distinguished by its mix of medieval and Renaissance styles, as well as its status as a historical monument since 2016. Its altar and tabernacle in white marble, in the upper chapel, as well as its sarcophagus, make it a remarkable religious and architectural heritage. The property today belongs to the commune of Basoues, in the Gers department.

According to the sources, the location of the basilica is approximate (accuracy noted 5/10), and its official address is listed as 117 in Saint Frix, 32320 Basoues. The building remains a testament to the region's religious and political transformations from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.

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