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Origin and history

The church of the Carmelites of Perpignan, built in the 14th century, was part of a convent set up in the poor districts of the city as early as 1270. Its construction began in 1325, while the cloister, erected between 1333 and 1342, was dismantled in the 19th century and rebuilt at the Château de Villemartin by the poet Alexandre Guiraud. The building, of Languedoc Gothic style, had a unique nave, side chapels and a polygonal bedside, with an crypt added in the 15th century.

In the 17th century, part of the convent was transformed into a royal arsenal, and the church served as a military depot. In 1791 the army settled permanently on the site, resulting in the partial destruction of the buildings. The cloister, which was dismantled in 1830, was rebuilt in Aude, while the church, burned in 1944 by the Germans, lost its roof and vaults, partially collapsed in 1961. Subsequent excavations revealed polychrome fire and medieval remains.

Classified as a Historic Monument in 1906, the church now maintains a Gothic marble portal decorated with carved capitals, arch keys and partial walls. The remains testify to its historical importance, between religious life, military occupation and successive destruction. The restorations of the 1960s stabilized the ruins, but the building remains partially in ruins, protected for its heritage value.

The site was originally located outside the 12th century ramparts, before being integrated into the new enclosure at the end of the 13th century, near the royal castle. The Carmelites lived there until the Revolution, maintaining the place despite the military transformations. The cloister, a major element of the monument, was saved in extremis by Guiraud, who devoted to him a poetic work, Le Cloître de Villemartin.

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