Take advantage of your stay in Castelnaudary to visit the Saint-Michel collegiate church, one of the many imprints left by the period of Middle ages in Lauragais. In a southern Gothic style which has survived the centuries, the place contains part of the history of the city.
In the footsteps of the Middle Ages
Erected at XIII century in a purely southern gothic, Pope John XXII elevated the parish church of Saint-Michel to the rank of collegiate church. A chapter of canons was established there and exercised pastoral and administrative responsibility for the diocese. An important cloister was then built against the south wall of the collegiate church (current location of the Palais de Justice).
In 1355, during the Hundred Years War, black Prince captures the city and burns it. The original wooden vault was destroyed and rebuilt in stone with double arches and ribbed crossings of which only the first bay remains today. The choir has a five-sided apse decorated with lancet windows and stained glass from the XNUMXth century.
The stalls are from the XNUMXth century, the baroque main altar is topped with a ciborium at the top of which we observe three angels symbolizing three theological virtues: at the top, the angel presenting the cross for Faith, the second angel carrying an anchor for Hope, the third angel offering a burning heart for Charity. THE large organs classics were built between 1774 and 1778 by Jean-Pierre Cavaillé, then enlarged in 1860 by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll; became romantic, they were classified Historical Monuments in 1969.
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To discover…
Be curious, go back in time around the streets of the old town.
