Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Commandery of Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon, located in Aveyron at the foot of the Larzac plateau, finds its origins in 1151 when the Abbé of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert offers the local church to the Templars. This gift was followed in 1159 by that of the king of Aragon Raimond Bérenger IV, who gave up the village and part of the Larzac, allowing the Templars to rebuild the church and raise the first buildings of the commandery. These buildings, organized around an inner courtyard, include a castle, stables, and a palace divided into community areas and dormitories.

In 1307, the order of the Temple was dissolved, and the commandary passed to the Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem in 1312. The latter undertake major work, such as rebuilding the community building and adding a chapel to the church. In the 15th century, faced with the insecurity of the Hundred Years' War, they erected a fortified enclosure around the village. The church, initially oriented towards the east, was modified in 1641 by Commander Jean de Bernuy Villeneuve, who reversed his access to place him on the public square.

The commandory preserves traces of its various phases: the fortified quadrilateral Templar, the hospital ramparts of the 15th century, and the interior arrangements of the 17th century, as the division of the large hall by Commander Villeneuve. The 18th century murals and lateral chapels (XIXth century, except one of the 14th) bear witness to its continuous evolution. Ranked a Historical Monument in 1976, it illustrates the joint legacy of Templars and Hospitallers in Occitanie.

Among the notable figures, Astorg de Caylus (hospital controller in the 14th century) and Jean de Bernuy Villeneuve (17th century) played a key role in its architectural transformations. The archives also mention conflicts, such as the plundering of the castle in 1377 by Raymond de Roquefeuil, or its sale in batches during the Revolution. Today, the site combines medieval heritage and contemporary uses (expositions, accommodation).

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