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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-du-Bout-du-Pont chapel, located in Lherm in Haute-Garonne, is a 18th-century brick building, although its origin probably dates back to the Middle Ages. Early Romanesque form, it consists of a rectangular nave and a choir in half circle, topped by a small campanile. Its location, at the end of an ancient drawbridge crossing the moat of the feudal castle of Lherm (demoli in 1840), suggests a medieval foundation linked to the reception of serfs and non-titled foreigners, a common practice at the time.

The chapel houses 17th-century frescoes and a 19th-century gold altarpiece, reflecting its artistic evolution. After World War II, it was at risk: its painted ceiling, representing a calvary, was replaced by a plaster ceiling. In 1977, the Toulouse painter Abel Clarens restored the chorus decor through a public subscription, while the stained glass windows were restored by a local artist. A new work campaign in 2024 focused on roofing and zincmaking.

Classified as a historical monument since 1 February 1978, the chapel illustrates the religious and architectural heritage of Occitanie. Its history reflects the transformation of an initially defensive site (fortified enclosure, moat) into a place of worship and heritage, marked by successive restorations. The old pool, filled in the 20th century, was the last visible trace of medieval moat.

The shape of the building, close to the early enclosure towers, and its campanile make it a typical example of the rural chapels of the region. Its inscription in the title of historical monuments underscores its heritage value, both for its architecture and for its interior decorations, mixing medieval, modern and contemporary eras.

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