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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The bridge of Lajous, located on the Arize in Rieux-Volvestre (Haute-Garonne), is a 17th century work built to connect the medieval city with the feudal castle of the Casterette. Originally, it had a 25.90-metre basket handle arch and two missing side doors. Its brick architecture reflects the construction techniques of the time.

At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the bridge was in ruins, with its arch destroyed. His reconstruction was entrusted in 1620 to architect Pierre Monge, and the work was completed in 1683. A restoration took place in 1785. The bridge was listed as historic monuments on April 11, 1950 for its heritage value.

The bridge of Lajous played a strategic role in linking the episcopal city of Rieux, dominated by its cathedral, to the castle of the Casterette. Its location, near the former Cathedral of the Nativity of Mary, highlights its importance in the medieval and modern urban landscape.

The sources mention that the doors at the ends of the bridge, including the one leading to the bastide, were demolished in the 19th century. Today, there remains a major architectural testimony of the Haute-Garonne, combining practical utility and historical heritage.

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