Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Hippolyte church of Fontès, first mentioned in 1080 in the cartular of Gellone, replaces an earlier Romanesque church. The present building was rebuilt in the first half of the 14th century, with a tripartite choir characteristic of southern Gothic churches. The work began with the bedside, and an additional span, planned to the west, was never completed. Romanesque elements, such as a cornice adorned with rinceaux and two capitals, were reused in Gothic construction.

The south gate, opening onto the first span of the nave, is decorated with fine sculptures, including heads and capitals with graceful figures, attributed to a skilled workshop. In the 18th century, the entrance gate was modified by the addition of a low arch, while consolidation work took place in the 19th century. The church, supported by atypical massive buttresses, houses a unique nave dogives vault, flanked by two side chapels in its last span. The bell tower, located above the northern absidiole, dominates the whole.

Classified as a historical monument in 1925, the church illustrates the transition between Romanesque and Gothic styles in Languedoc. Its pentagonal bedside, square apsidioles and sculpted capes testify to a neat architecture, reflecting the importance of the parish in the region since the Middle Ages. Historical sources, such as the works of Jean-Marie Peruuse de Montclos and Françoise Robin, highlight his role in local religious heritage.

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