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Origin and history

The city hall of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières occupies the site of the former bishopric, built on the foundations of a Benedictine monastery founded in 936 by Raymond Pons, Count of Toulouse and Duke of Aquitaine. The act authorizing the construction of the walls around the convent dates from 1171, but the characteristic tower, a major defensive element, seems to date from the 14th century, after the erection of the abbey in bishopric in 1318. Its architecture, including the ogival vault of the lower hall, confirms this period.

The tower, of a barlong plan, defended the southwest corner of the ramparts near the Jaur, between two landings of the enclosure. Equipped with mâchicoulis on its exteriors, it housed a vaulted cob on the ground floor and an ogival room on the first floor, accessible by a stone staircase. Merlons and top niches are posterior additions, while current buildings mix medieval remains (southern part) and modern extensions.

Ranked a historical monument in 1963 for its tower (known as Count Pons), the structure illustrates the urban evolution of Saint-Pons, marked by its religious and military past. The tower, a communal property, remains the only significant architectural witness to the primitive buildings, bearing witness to the successive transformations of the site, from the abbey to the city hall.

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