Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The priory of Saint-Orens d'Auch, founded in the tenth century as Benedictine abbey, was transformed into a clunisian priory in 1068 under the impulse of Hugues de Cluny. His Prioral Church, consecrated in 1075, housed the relics of local saints such as Saint Orens, Saint Clair and Saint Taurin, as well as the tombs of the Counts of Gascony, including Bernard-le-Louche and Sanche Mitarra. The monastery, an intellectual and artistic centre, housed a well-known scriptorium and Romanesque sculpture workshops, as evidenced by the capitals and luminures preserved.

In the Middle Ages, the priory was at the heart of conflicts with the clergy of St Mary's Cathedral in Auch, especially around burial rights. In 1120, Archbishop Bernard II obtained from Pope Calixte II the end of the funeral monopoly of Saint Orens, causing violent tensions. The monks, secularized in the 18th century, left after the Revolution. The buildings, partially destroyed to pierce the national road 21, were listed as historical monuments in 1947.

Today, there are only three vaulted spans left over the dogives of the chapel and a 14th century square tower, marked by cruising windows and a steeple. These remains, owned by the municipality, are awaiting restoration after decades of abandonment and damage caused by the floods of 1977. The site, once occupied by schools, illustrates the monastic gascon heritage and medieval power struggles in Occitania.

External links