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Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Jean de Comps-sur-Artuby is a Romanesque monument located in the village of Comps-sur-Artuby, in the department of Var. It was built by the order of St John of Jerusalem, heir to the Templars after the dissolution of their order in 1312. This chapel, inscribed in the Historical Monuments since 1926, illustrates the importance of Hospitallers in the region after their acquisition of seigneurial rights in the sixteenth century.

In the Middle Ages, Comps-sur-Artuby was a strategic place, dominated by its Saint-André church and fortified village. The chapel of Saint John, located at the east exit of the village, fits into this historical context marked by the conflicts of succession of Provence and the influence of religious-military orders. The Hospitallers established a command office there, consolidating their local power after the purchase of seigneurial shares in the family of Pontevès in 1381.

The region, marked by a human presence from the Chalcolithic period, was also the scene of destruction during the wars of succession of Queen Jeanne (1382-1387). The village, originally built on a rock, was rebuilt in an amphitheatre after its destruction by Charles de Duras. The Hospitallers, who became the sole lords of Comps in the 16th century, left a lasting mark, especially through buildings such as this chapel, symbol of their spiritual and architectural heritage.

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