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Origin and history

The Church of the Assumption of Maubourguet, also known as the Church of Saint Martin, is a Catholic religious building built in the 11th century. Located in the city centre on the left bank of the Adour, it marks a stop on the Via Tolosane, one of the four French roads leading to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. Its history is linked to the Benedictine monastery of St.Martin de Celle, of which it was the Prioral, founded according to tradition by monks from Alet (Aude) at the request of Heraclius, Bishop of Bigorre, and Count Bernard.

Archaeological excavations carried out between 1983 and 1985 revealed previous occupations of the site: neolithic traces, protohistoric traces, a 6th century basilica and a Carolingian church. The present building retains major Romanesque elements, such as the 11th century choir and absidioles, while the nave and transept were redesigned in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years' War, the English occupied and fortified the monastery, adding ramparts and towers. The wars of Religion in the 16th century left the monastery in ruins, replacing the monks with secular priests.

In the 18th century, the church changed its name to be dedicated to the Assumption of Notre-Dame. Closed during the Revolution, it reopened in 1804 after major restorations in the 19th century, partially altering its original appearance. Ranked a historical monument in 1979, it now combines Romanesque elements (south gate of the twelfth century decorated with friezes and modillons) and traces of medieval and modern transformations. His plan, inspired by Catalan churches like Sant Pere de Rodes, bears witness to the artistic exchanges of the time.

Architecturally, the church is distinguished by its three semi-circular apse bedside, reinforced with massive buttresses typical of the region (galets drowned in mortar). The nave, originally unique, was expanded in the 12th century by collaterals. The octagonal tower-lantern on the cross of the transept, added in the 14th century, and the vaults redone at this time illustrate the successive adaptations of the building. The imposing dimensions (38.30 m long) make it a major building of the Gascon religious heritage.

The restoration campaigns of the 19th and 20th centuries (1980s) sought to preserve this heritage, while revealing key archaeological elements. The studies of Sylvain Doussau and Paul Mesple shed light on his complex history, linked to pilgrimages, Franco-English conflicts and liturgical developments. Today, the church remains a symbol of Maubourguet's historical richness, between monastic heritage and parish role.

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