First written entry 961 (≈ 961)
Documentary certificate of the monastery.
XIIe siècle
Transfer of canons
Transfer of canons XIIe siècle (≈ 1250)
Displacement after flooding of Ariège.
XVIe siècle
Destruction during the Wars of Religion
Destruction during the Wars of Religion XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Ruins of the abbey and church.
1672 et 1716
Major restorations
Major restorations 1672 et 1716 (≈ 1716)
Partial reconstruction after destruction.
2 avril 1791
Sale as a national good
Sale as a national good 2 avril 1791 (≈ 1791)
Turned into a farmhouse after the Revolution.
1989
Purchase by the town of Pamiers
Purchase by the town of Pamiers 1989 (≈ 1989)
Beginning of modern preservation.
2 octobre 1992
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 2 octobre 1992 (≈ 1992)
Official protection of the abbey and the house.
2001
Restoration of the building
Restoration of the building 2001 (≈ 2001)
Conservation work carried out by the town hall.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Former abbey church of the 11th, 12th and 17th centuries; former canonical lodge of the seventeenth century which is joined to it; soil of the parcel (see Box E 90): by order of 2 October 1992
Key figures
Saint Antonin de Pamiers - Martyr and patron saint
Legendarily buried on the site.
François de Caulet - Bishop of Pamiers (17th century)
Sponsor of the canonical house.
Origin and history
The former Saint-Antonin Abbey, known as Mas Cailloup or Mas-Vieux, is a monastery founded before 961, the date of the first written document mentioning it. Located on the left bank of Ariège, facing the centre of Pamiers, it was dedicated to Saint Antonin, a local martyr according to legend. The primitive site, called Mas Vieux after the transfer of the canons to the other bank in the 12th century (following a flood), preserves Romanesque remains despite the destruction suffered.
The abbey was ruined in the 16th century during the Wars of Religion, then partially restored in 1672 and 1716. The current buildings reflect three construction campaigns: traces of the tenth century (opus spicatum), Romanesque elements of the twelfth century (abside, carved capitals) and additions of the seventeenth-XVIII centuries (canonial logics, murals). A 16th century sarcophagus, discovered in 1830, bears witness to its funeral past.
Classified Historic Monument in 1992 after its acquisition by the commune in 1989, the abbey houses a chapel with a tripartite bedside, decorated with Romanesque friezes and a unique mandorle Christ. Southern absidiole preserves capitals and a frieze representing a blessed Christ, surrounded by angels. The paintings of the seventeenth century, with classical motifs (pillars, rinsels), adorn the upper parts.
The site, linked to the foundation of Pamiers, was a major place of worship before the transfer of the relics of Saint Antonin to the Mas-Jeune. Sold as a national property in 1791, it served as a farmhouse before its restoration in 2001. Today, associations are working for its development, such as the replanting of a vine and an aromatic garden in 2013.
The abbey illustrates the Pyrenean Romanesque architecture, marked by the use of pebbles and cut stone, as well as carved decorations of regional influence. Its history reflects the religious and political upheavals of Ariège, from medieval origins to modern restorations.
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