Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church Notre-Dame d'Estang, located in Gers in Occitanie, was built between 1150 and 1200 at the place called Castelbielh. This monument, first of all in Romanesque style, preserves a vaulted apse in cul-de-four and two apsidioles, remains of this period. Its history is marked by the destruction suffered during the wars of Religion, especially in 1572, when the Huguenots led by Montgomery severely damaged the transept and the nave.

At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the church was partially rebuilt from the bedside and the original transept. However, his condition deteriorated again in the 19th century, requiring major intervention. In 1862, the departmental architect Léopold Gentil proposed a project of enlargement, taken over and completed by Hippolyte Durand between 1868 and 1866. This restoration added a span to the nave and modernized the western part, while preserving elements painted like a funeral liter and characters nestled in the side chapels.

The building, from plan to Latin cross, was finally inscribed in the historical monuments in February 1998. It thus illustrates nearly nine centuries of history, between medieval heritage, religious conflicts and architectural adaptations. The traces of ancient decorations and the modifications of the 19th century bear witness to its evolution over time.

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