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Origin and history

The Saint-Augustin church of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, built in the 16th century, is an emblematic example of southern Gothic, with Renaissance elements. It consists of a unique nave with three vaulted spans in cross-sections of warheads, flanked by low-sides sheltering two communicating chapels. The seven-paned apse, pierced by large bay windows re-established in 1850, and the Renaissance-inspired capitals illustrate this stylistic duality. The chapel of the Pomairols family, located in the south side, is distinguished by its high quality Renaissance decoration, despite the degradations suffered over the centuries.

The history of the church began in 1487, when the consuls of Villefranche-de-Rouergue gave way to the hermits of Saint-Augustin to establish a convent there. Work on the first chapel began in 1488, but it was in 1520 that the first stone of the present church was laid. In 1561, the Huguenots seized the place, forcing the religious to flee. From 1563 to 1585, the convent was transformed into a college by Bishop Jacques de Corneillan. The religious returned in 1585, and the work of the bell tower and choir ended between 1588 and 1591. In 1636, the entrance door of the convent was rebuilt, now integrated into a private dwelling.

The funeral chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas was commissioned by Jean-Nicolas de Pomairols (died 1507), captain and treasurer of the troops under Louis XII and Francis I. Originally from Dauphiné but settled in Rouergue, he asked in his will for the construction of this chapel, probably financed by his family, influential in the region. In 1538, his descendant Jean de Pomairols, the first consul of Villefranche, contributed to his beautification with a donation of ECU 300. The decor, the stone table and the washbasin could date from this period.

In the 19th century, the church, threatened with ruin, underwent important restorations. In 1818, work began to save it, and it reopened to worship in 1822. The bell tower's arrow was demolished in 1840, while a neo-Gothic gate was added in 1843 on the west façade, accompanied by two bays and a rose. In 1853, the commune acquired adjacent houses to clear the church, and beautification was carried out by the parish priest Vidal. The sacristy was rebuilt in 1862, and a new neo-Gothic bell tower was erected by architects Boissonnade and Vanginot. The church was finally decommissioned in 1963.

The building, classified as Historical Monument, reflects the religious and political upheavals of its time, from the wars of Religion to the Revolution. Its hybrid architecture, blending Gothic and Renaissance, and its turbulent history make it a valuable testimony to the Occitan heritage. The 19th-century glass windows, the communicating chapels and the decorations of the Pomairols family underline its artistic and historical importance.

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