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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Abrin Chapel, also known as the Templar Church, is a Romanesque church located in the Gers in Castelnau-sur-l'Auvignon. It is the only vestige of Abrin's commanding office, founded in 1195 by Othon de Lomagne, Viscount of Lomagne and of Auvillars. The latter entrusted her to the Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. The chapel is located on a strategic axis, at the junction of two routes of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela: those of Puy and Rocamadour.

In the 12th century, the Commanderie d'Abrin welcomed many pilgrims thanks to an important hotel. The 19th century excavations revealed family graves, including that of Jean de Lomagne, who died in 1365, who asked to be buried there. In 1590, a Huguenot captain devastated the church and adjacent buildings, marking the decline of the command office. After the Revolution, the chapel became a private property and was transformed into a stable.

The building, rectangular, features a Romanesque portal decorated with geometric motifs (broken sticks, checkered denticles) and a similar decorated fire. The west wall and part of the south wall have been rebuilt, but traces of the original bays remain. The chapel was partially listed as a historic monument in 1929 for its gate and fire.

Architecturally, the chapel combines simplicity and Romanesque decorative elements, as the foothills suggest a vaulted nave in a cradle. Its history reflects the links between religious orders, medieval pilgrimages and local noble families, such as the Lomagne, major donors. After centuries of abandonment, it remains a testimony of hospital wards in Occitanie.

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