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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The tower of the Viala-du-Pas-de-Jaux is part of the history of the Templar Commanderies and Hospitals of Larzac. In 1150, the lord of Tournemire surrendered the lands of Viala to the Templars, before they passed to the Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem in 1315, after the dissolution of the order of the Temple. The latter built a house and a church dedicated to Saint-Jean-Baptiste, while under the control of Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon.

In 1430, Prior Bertrand d'Arpajon authorized the construction of a 27-metre fortified tower, designed as a shelter for the inhabitants and a grain attic. This project responds to security needs in an area of unrest, replacing the protective role of the neighbouring command office. Its architecture includes five floors, a round road with mâchicoulis, and a vault covered with lauzes, offering panoramic views.

The tower, classified as a historical monument in 1993, has been restored since 1981 by a local association. Today, open to the public, it hosts exhibitions and demonstrates the strategic importance of hospital commissions in the medieval organization of Larzac. Its ground floor, transformed into a prison in the seventeenth century, also recalls the evolution of its uses over the centuries.

The site illustrates the hospital heritage of the Rouergue, linked to the order of St John of Jerusalem. The annexes, including stables and guardhouses, complement an architectural ensemble marked by its agricultural, defensive and community role. The sources, such as Jacques Miquel's or Nicolas Mengus's work, underline its importance in the history of the Templar and Regional Hospitaller.

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