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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Capelette Saint-Jacques de Cordes-sur-Ciel is a small religious building (4.54 m x 5.42 m), built in the 16th century in limestone and sandstone stone. Its white stone vault, adorned with crossovers of warheads with lichens and thirdons, and its corner tower with a carved niche make it a remarkable example of late Gothic architecture. The chapel, mentioned in 1323 as a place of welcome for the pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela, was erected in 1511 thanks to Falcou de Montjozieu, although no documents attest to an earlier chapel.

The structure consists of a rectangular room illuminated by a single street side window, with a cylindrical foothill supporting the vault. Subsequent changes, such as a rose on the east elevation and a missing north gate, suggest changes over the centuries. Protected in 1927, it was restored in the 1960s under the direction of the architect Salvagnac, with the suppression of coatings and the repair of walls. Yves Brayer, an artist, decorated the interior and designed a sober altar inspired by the abbey of Conques, using stones from the chapel Saint-Jean de Mordagne.

The chapel, owned by an association, illustrates the medieval history of Cordes-sur-Ciel, a stop on the roads of Compostela. Its inscription in the Historical Monuments in 1927 and its recent restoration underline its heritage importance. The carved niche and the corner tower, distinctive elements, recall its role both religious and architectural in the Occitan region.

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