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Origin and history

The Church of St.Jacques de Fromentas, located in Aignan in Gers (Occitan region), is a Catholic building built in the 15th century. It is characterized by a two-span double-nave architecture, completed by a five-paned choir, and a square bell tower to the west. Its porch, decorated with sculptures depicting the twelve Apostles, the Virgin with the Child and God the Father, reflects a rich religious art. Inside, the monumental altarpiece is dedicated to Our Lady of Pain, while the façade of the high altar illustrates the Supper.

Classified as historical monuments in 1979, this church was originally an annex to the parish of Aignan. Its interior plan, inspired by the Jacobins of Toulouse, includes a line of central columns forming two equal naves, covered with 15th century vaults. The construction, mainly by means of limestone, was completed shortly before 1546, according to the archives cited by Balagna. The roof, covered with hollow tiles or slates depending on the parts, and the sacristy in appentis complete the architectural ensemble.

Church hall, surrounded by a stone bench, suggests community use, perhaps for local meetings. The broken arch portal, protected by a wall to the west, and the triliteral monograms (such as "IHS" for Jesus) or Marians (letters A and M interlaced) on the tympanum, bear witness to a marked religious symbolism. Although the interior has not been fully studied, the exterior elements and structure reveal a major historical and artistic importance for the region.

Several objects of the church are referenced in the Palissy base, highlighting the heritage value of its furniture. Owned by the commune of Aignan, it remains an emblematic place of the small Gersois religious heritage, combined with documentary resources such as Mérimée or the Observatory of Religious Heritage. Its location on a plateau south-east of the commune, bordered by the cemetery, reinforces its anchoring in the local landscape.

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