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Condom Cloister dans le Gers

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine religieux
Cloître
Gers

Condom Cloister

    47-59 Rue Dutoya
    32100 Condom
Cloître de Condom
Cloître de Condom
Cloître de Condom
Crédit photo : Cruccone - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
1521-1544
Construction of cloister
XVIe siècle
Pillows during the Wars of Religion
1796
Sale as a national good
1861
Purchase by the municipality
1883
Installation of the town hall
1997
Historical monument classification
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Entire cloister, with the chapel of Sainte-Catherine and the former chapel of the bishop (cad. AO 173, 174): by order of 18 December 1997

Key figures

Jean Marre - Bishop of Condom Initiator of construction in the 16th century.
Hérard de Grossoles - Bishop and builder Sponsor of the Chapel of Saint Catherine.
Antoine de Coues - Bishop of Condom Contributes to the Episcopal Chapel.
Penottini - Italian painter Author of polychromy around 1841.

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.

External links