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Origin and history

The church of Sainte-Eulalie in Montpellier came into being in the 13th century, when the mercenaries, a religious order dedicated to the liberation of Christian slaves, settled in the city in 1240. Their first convent, built near the gate of the city and dedicated to Saint Eulalie of Barcelona, was completed around 1261. Associated with the Montepelliérain university development, he housed a law school and served as a place of worship for local brotherhoods, such as carpenters. The medieval chapel, prosperous until the 16th century, was destroyed in 1562 during the Wars of Religion by the Protestant troops of Jacques de Crussol, resulting in the dispersion of the religious.

After a precarious return in 1651, the mercediers rebuilt a consecrated chapel in 1663, but plans to expand the Place Royale du Peyrou (now Peyrou) forced another demolition in 1740. Thanks to the compensation received, they built between 1741 and 1748 the present church, designed by architects Antoine Vier and Jean Dumas. Its façade, inspired by classic 17th century models, and simplified bell tower reflect the influence of the period's Languedoc religious architecture. The choir, deliberately vast, showed hope for a revival of order, never happened.

The church changed hands several times after the Revolution. Sold as a national property in 1798, it served as a depot of wood and then a distillery before being bought in 1803 by the Blue Penitents, who restored it as a chapel and burial place. It became a parish in 1829 and was acquired by the municipality in 1843. In the 19th century, it underwent major redevelopments: murals, Merklin & Schütze organ (1868), and neoclassical decorations, while its pastoral role was affirmed in a neighborhood in the midst of urbanization.

Today, St. Eulalie houses a relic of St. Eulalie of Barcelona, attracting Catalan pilgrims, and hosts Tridentine Masses, organ concerts and student activities. Its artistic heritage, marked by paintings transferred to the Fabre Museum and preserved rock elements, makes it a major witness to the religious and architectural history of Montpellier. The façade, the bell tower and the interior structure, protected since 2016, recall its mercedal past and its adaptation to contemporary cultural needs.

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