Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The cloister of Condom, built between 1521 and 1544 under the episcopate of Jean Marre, is in the Gothic style, in harmony with St Peter's Cathedral. It adopts a trapezoidal plan with four arched galleries, of which two Renaissance doors mark a stylistic transition. The arch keys, decorated with blazons or floral motifs, and the vaults with liernes and thirdons bear witness to remarkable architectural know-how. During the Wars of Religion, the cloister was looted and restored only in the seventeenth century, after destruction similar to that of the cathedral.

Sold as a national property in 1796, the cloister was converted into a stable and then into a brandy store before being bought by the commune in 1861. A major restoration was undertaken, allowing the town hall and municipal services to be installed in 1883. The polychromy of the vaults, made around 1841 by the Italian painter Penottini, highlights the coats of arms and the dogive crosses. The galleries, with unequal spans, reveal two phases of construction: the first coated with polygonal columns, the second cut stone, more decorated. The chapel of Sainte-Catherine, an ancient chapter hall, and the episcopal chapel, built by the bishops Herard de Grossoles and Antoine de Coues, complete this ensemble.

Ranked a historic monument in 1997, the cloister now incorporates municipal elements while maintaining its medieval character. The arcades overlooking the courtyard, paved and equipped with a central fountain, are framed by massive foothills. The carved models of the cornice and the clogged trilobed windows recall the transformations that have been undergone over the centuries. Despite the repairs of the 20th century, the cloister remains a major testimony of Gasconic religious architecture, mixing Gothic heritage and modern adaptations.

The history of the cloister is inseparable from that of St Peter's Cathedral, which was rebuilt after the collapse of its bell tower in 1507. The bishops Jean Marre and his successor, as well as Herard de Grossoles, play a key role in its construction and embellishment. The religious wars, marked by Protestant iconoclasm, miraculously spared the building thanks to a ransom of 30,000 pounds paid by the inhabitants. This resilience illustrates the local attachment to this heritage, now protected and valued as a symbol of condomese history.

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