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Former chapel Saint-Pierre-de-Castres à Tresques dans le Gard

Gard

Former chapel Saint-Pierre-de-Castres


    30330 Tresques
Ancienne chapelle Saint-Pierre-de-Castres
Ancienne chapelle Saint-Pierre-de-Castres
Ancienne chapelle Saint-Pierre-de-Castres
Ancienne chapelle Saint-Pierre-de-Castres
Ancienne chapelle Saint-Pierre-de-Castres
Ancienne chapelle Saint-Pierre-de-Castres
Crédit photo : RhôneA7 - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1200
1300
1900
2000
Fin XIe - Début XIIe siècle
Construction of the chapel
1985
Establishment of the Association
Fin XIXe siècle
End of pilgrimages
24 janvier 2020
Historical Monument
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

In total, the former chapel Saint-Pierre-de-Castres, located in Tresques, on Parcel 50 in the cadastre section AE: inscription by order of 24 January 2020

Key figures

Claire-Lise Creissen - Historical Estimate the construction at the end of the 11th-early 12th century.
Alexandre Autin - Heritage architect Analyses its exceptional conservation and architecture.
Moines de Saint-Pierre - Benedictine Congregation Chapel builders and pond dryers.

Origin and history

The Chapel Saint-Pierre-de-Castres is a Romanesque religious building located in Tresques, in the Gard department in the Occitanie region. Built between the end of the 11th century and the 12th century by Benedictine monks of Saint Peter, it is part of a network of chapels linked to the priory of Pont. Its architecture, marked by a unique nave with three spans and a cul-de-four choir, is remarkable for its absence of foothills, compensated by thick walls in rubble. The stone vault, which was laid without structure, allowed its exceptional conservation.

The chapel was once a place of pilgrimage until the end of the 19th century. Nearby, ruins of a priory testify to its historical importance. In 2020, it was registered in the Historical Monuments thanks to the action of the association Les Amis de Saint-Pierre-de-Castres, created in 1985 for its preservation. Its bell tower, formerly pyramidal, and its limestone lauze roof reflect local constructive traditions. The building, isolated from the busy roads, escaped major reconstructions.

According to historian Claire-Lise Creissen, the chapel was built with only one treatise during the Romanesque period. The architect Alexandre Autin highlights his rare state of conservation, due to its remoteness and the robustness of its walls. The north facade, without openings, protects the building from the mistral. Today, it remains a communal property, an authentic testimony of Southern Romanesque art, linked to the history of Benedictine congregations and medieval pilgrimages in Occitania.

External links