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Origin and history

The Fort de la Capelle is an ancient fortified church, now known as the Church of Notre-Dame de la Capelle. Built during the 15th century, it was part of a set of six fortresses protecting the city of Ambialet in Occitanie. Originally it served as a castral chapel, before being transformed into a small priory, then into a parish church, a function that it still occupies today. His choir houses a vault key decorated with the coat of arms of the Castelpers family, which led Ambialet during its construction.

The forts of Ambialet, including that of the Capelle, were integrated into a powerful defensive enclosure, consisting of ramparts, towers, niches and mâchicoulis. These fortifications, spread over the peaks surrounding the city, provided protection for the three districts of Ambialet, each with its own enclosure. Most of these forts were destroyed in 1568 by the Huguenots during the Wars of Religion and then abandoned. The fort of the Capelle, on the other hand, survived in the form of the present church.

The site of the Capelle Fort was strategically placed under the castle of Roquetaillade, itself located near the King's Fort. These buildings, now in ruins for the most part, bear witness to the military and religious importance of Ambielt in the Middle Ages. The family of Castelpers, mentioned by its coat of arms in the church, as well as the Dupuy de Montmejan family, owner of the castle of Roquetaillade, are linked to the history of these fortifications. Their exact role in the construction or management of the Capelle fort, however, is not detailed in the available sources.

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