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Origin and history

The Saint-Sernin Basilica of Toulouse, built at the end of the 11th century, is one of the largest Romanesque churches in Europe. It was built to house the relics of Saint Saturnin (or Sernin), the first bishop and martyr of Toulouse in the third century. According to tradition, his body, discovered in the fourth century by Bishop Hilaire, became an object of veneration, attracting pilgrims from the Middle Ages. The primitive sanctuary, enlarged in the 5th century under the bishops Silve and Exupère, was replaced by the present basilica, whose construction was built over more than a century, from 1070.

The basilica was an issue of power between the Canons of Saint-Sernin, the Bishop of Toulouse and the local Counts. In 1083 Bishop Isarn, supported by Count Guilhem IV, attempted to seize the abbey, but Pope Gregory VII restored the rights of the Canons. Consecrated in 1096 by Pope Urban II, it became a central place for pilgrims of Compostela, thanks to its plan adapted to the flows of faithful. Its architecture, with a walk-through and radiant chapels, made it a model for pilgrimage churches.

In the 12th century, the nave was completed, and wall paintings, such as the Resurrection Cycle, decorated the walls. The basilica accumulated wealth thanks to the donations of pilgrims and Tulousans, becoming a major economic and political player. After the Revolution, it lost part of its abbey buildings, destroyed between 1804 and 1808 to create a public square. Ranked a historic monument in 1840, it was restored in the 19th century by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who modified certain structures, before works of "derestauration" in the 20th century to regain its medieval aspect.

Saint-Sernin houses 128 relics, including those of six apostles, making it the second church in the world in number of relics after the Vatican. Its octagonal bell tower, 65 meters high, dominates Toulouse and houses a carillon of 18 bells. The interior, marked by Romanesque capitals and frescoes of the twelfth century, also preserves traces of religious conflicts, such as defensive galleries added during the wars of Religion. Today, the basilica remains an active place of worship, a stage for pilgrims of Compostela and a major cultural site, hosting concerts and exhibitions.

The symphonic organ, built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1889, is one of the most remarkable in France, with 54 games and 3,458 pipes. The basilica, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Its history reflects the religious, political and artistic upheavals of Toulouse, from antiquity to contemporary times.

Future

The Basilica Saint-Sernin is one of the 71 monuments and 7 portions of paths have been inscribed since 1998 on the UNESCO World Heritage List under the official title of "Chemins de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle en France".

It is on the way to Via Tolosana or "Toulousaine Way" which passes through Toulouse, hence its name, but its starting point is at Arles from where its other name of way to Arles (via Arelatensis).

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