Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church Our Lady of the Jacobins of Agen, founded in the 13th century by the Dominicans, was built thanks to a gift from Alphonse de Poitiers in 1254. A first brick church, in accordance with the austere rules of the Order, was enlarged and enhanced with stone elements in the 14th century, reflecting the rise of Dominican preaching. The coat of arms of Alphonse de Poitiers, visible on a key vault, attests to its role in the foundation.

The church was the scene of major political events: in 1279 the lords of the Agenas took the oath to the king of England after the Treaty of Amiens, and in 1340 the Duke of Normandy (later John II the Good) received the homage of the local barons. The founders of the convent, including Bernard de Caux, an inquisitor who died in 1252, were buried there. The building also preserves medieval paintings studied by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.

In the 16th century, the convent suffered destruction during the wars of Religion. In 1561 the Protestants looted him, and in 1585 Marguerite de Valois took refuge before Henry of Navarre set fire to them, destroying part of the buildings. After the Revolution, the church, spared, became parish in 1807. Restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries (by Juste Lisch in 1807 and François Corouge in 1979) preserved its architecture and decorations.

Ranked a historic monument in 1904, the church is distinguished by its two-nave equal plan, inspired by the Jacobins of Toulouse and Paris. Its vaults rest on cylindrical columns, and brick foothills ensure stability. Today integrated into the Art Gallery of Agen, it reflects the Dominican influence and historical upheavals of the region.

Future

The church became the exhibition centre of the Museum of Fine Arts.

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