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Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel of Saint John de Citou, located in the department of Aude in Occitanie, finds its origins in a monastery founded in the late eighth century. This primitive monastery, now extinct, is considered the cradle of the future abbey of Caunes. Although no physical traces of this foundation remain, the site of the present chapel, built two or three centuries later, could perpetuate its memory. The building was erected as a parish in 1236, under the authority of the Abbé de Caunes, who was its collator.

In the 17th century, the chapel underwent major changes, notably in 1659, with the addition of a south side nave consisting of two chapels and the development of a dated door. This work marks a significant expansion phase. In the 19th century, in the face of the recurrent floods caused by the Argent-Double, the council of manufacture in 1854 requested the transfer of the parish to a new church in the heart of the village. Despite this, the inhabitants of the hamlets obtained the maintenance of the cult in the old chapel, causing major repairs in 1891: uplifting the ground, building an underground aqueduct, and adding a sacristy.

The architecture of the chapel combines ancient elements, dating back to the 12th century (abside, walls of the nave, northern chapel), and later additions like a false vault. Enlisted for historical monuments in 1948, it illustrates the evolution of a rural place of worship, adapted to the changing needs of its community. The property of the chapel returns today to the municipality of Citou, and its official address is the cemetery path.

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