Saint John Baptist Church of Lourties dans le Gers

Timeline

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Lourties is a Catholic religious building located in the village of Lourties-Monbrun, Gers department, Occitanie region. Its construction spans from the late 13th century to the early 14th century, making it an architectural witness to the transition between the Middle Ages and the Gothic period. The building is distinguished by its bell tower-wall pierced by two bays for the bells, as well as by a central nave flanked by two side chapels: one dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the north, the other to Saint Anne in the south. In the 18th century, its ceiling was raised by two meters, partially altering its interior appearance.

The church furniture comes in part from the former church of Saint Andrew of Monbrun, disused since 1953 and converted into a private home. Among the notable pieces transferred are statues and paintings classified or listed as historical monuments, such as a 16th century polychrome wooden pietà or an 18th century Crucifixion painting. These elements illustrate the heritage importance of the building, which also retains a pulpit and a pentagonal choir, characteristic of the rural churches of that time.

The church Saint-Jean-Baptiste is representative of the small parish churches of Gers, marked by a sober but functional architecture, adapted to the spiritual and community needs of the villages. Its history also reflects liturgical and artistic developments, from its medieval construction to modern amenities, such as additions of furniture from other local religious buildings. Today, it remains an active place of worship and a protected heritage, inscribed in the cultural landscapes of Occitanie.

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