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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Gontaud-de-Nogaret, located in the Lot-et-Garonne, has its origins in the 12th century, when the Benedictine monks of the Mas-d'Agenas built a priory and a Romanesque church. This first building, of which today the transept and three apses remain, was built on a plan similar to that of the Saint Vincent church. In 1216, the bishop of Agen Arnaud de Rovinha assigned the patronage of the church to the collegiate church of Mas-d'Agenais, ending a conflict with the abbey of Grande Sauve concerning the tithes of Saint Peter of Nogaret.

In the 13th or 14th century, the nave and western facade were rebuilt in a Gothic style, marking an architectural evolution. The wars of Religion struck the building hard: Gontaud was taken by the Protestants, and the church, partially ruined, lost its vaults and part of its facade. In 1633, a partial collapse required rehabilitation work in 1635, including the reconstruction of the vaults. The church then became the main place of parish worship after the destruction of St Peter's church.

The modifications continued with the addition of a sacristy in 1666 and the construction of ridge vaults in 1760. The north tower was demolished in 1776, while the cemetery was moved in 1774. In the 19th century, restoration projects were carried out, notably by the architect Jean-Jules Mondet in 1878, then by the departmental architect Dupont, who rebuilt the nave between 1881 and 1882. In 1940, the chapels were decorated by Giovanni Masutti, an Italian artist who had worked in other churches in the department.

Ranked a historical monument in 1925, the Church of Notre Dame embodies a rich heritage, marked by Romanesque and Gothic influences, as well as by the vicissitudes of local history, from religious conflicts to modern restorations.

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