Saint John of Lacalm Church dans le Tarn

Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Jean de Lacalm church, located in the commune of Fraysse in the Tarn, is built thanks to the initiative of local owners. In 1826, Monsieur Lacroux, a wealthy owner of Lacalm, financed the construction of a chapel approved by the Archbishopric of Albi. Five years later, in 1831, five patrons (Messeurs Lacroux, Puech, Roques, Puech and Guiraud) joined together to build a true church, which was ceded to the Archbishopric in 1832. However, malfeasances were quickly found, leading to his placing under parish guardianship in November 1832.

In 1857, the building, badly built, threatened to collapse. A new church was rebuilt on the same site between 1860 and subsequent years, with a bell tower whose completion spanned several years. The church is particularly remarkable for its wooden furniture carved by Pierre Laclau, including a stand, three altars, three altarpieces and a pulpit. These woodworks, classified as Historic Monuments in 1959, were restored between 1985 and 1995.

The church's exceptional acoustics, due to the concentration of woodwork in a small space, make it a popular place for chamber and medieval music concerts. The size of the building is modest: 20 meters long for 6.20 meters wide, with a bell tower culminating at 18.90 meters. Its history reflects the commitment of local patrons and the challenges of its construction in the 19th century.

External links