Agen Cathedral

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Agen Cathedral: facade of the south transept
Floor plan of the cathedral (1835)
Cathedral choir
Painting of the apse

The St. Agen Cathedral , consecrated to Caprasius , is the episcopal church of the diocese of Agen , located between Bordeaux and Toulouse in southwest France . It has been recognized as a monument historique since 1862 . The town and church are located on a branch line of the Way of St. James ( Via Podiensis ) .

location

The cathedral is located in the north of the city of Agen near the train station and only about 1 km east of the Garonne at an altitude of about 50  m .

history

A church in honor of St. Caprasius may have existed as early as the 5th century; There is certain evidence of a church building by Gregory of Tours in the 6th century. A Romanesque collegiate church was built in the 12th century , of which the choir area and the transept with a total of five apses have been preserved. Destruction in the run-up to the Huguenot Wars is documented for 1561 . In the first years of the French Revolution the building served as a storage room; it was only used for cultic purposes again in 1796. After the destruction of the old St-Etienne Cathedral, the church was elevated to the rank of cathedral in 1802 .

architecture

The choir area with the richly decorated main apse was built in the style of the Romanesque period in the 12th century, the nave and only two while: to differentiate are essentially two phases yokes comprehensive nave of the epoch of the Gothic attributable. The angle between the nave and southern transept preferred bell tower (clocher) dates from the year. 1835

Furnishing

Almost the entire church is painted, although the medieval joint paintings were probably renewed in the 19th century. The paintings in the apses stand out in particular - they are works by the Toulouse painter Jean-Louis Bézard from the years 1845 to 1869. Other furnishings include choir stalls and numerous paintings and sacred objects (see note 1).

Organs

View of the main organ

The main organ was originally built by the organ builder Jean-Baptiste Stoltz for the World Exhibition in 1855 and installed in the cathedral of Agen in 1858. The instrument has 45 stops on three manuals and a pedal and is a listed building. The actions are mechanical.

I positif Cg 3
Flute 8th'
Bourdon 8th'
Viol 8th'
Salicet 4 '
Prestant 4 '
Duplicate 2 '
Fifth 2 2 ⁄ 3  '
Plein Jeu III
Basson-Hautbois 0 8th'
Euphone 8th'
Trumpets 8th'
Clairon 4 '
II Grand Orgue Cg 3
Montre 16 '
Bourdon 16 '
Montre 08th'
Bourdon 08th'
Salicional 08th'
Prestant 04 '
Viol 04 '
Duplicate 02 '
Cornet V
Fittings III
Cymbals II
Bombard 16 '
Trumpets 08th'
Clairon 04 '
III Récit expressif Cg 3
Quintaton 16 '
Flute 08th'
Flûte harmonique 08th'
Bourdon 08th'
Viol 08th'
Voix céleste 08th'
Flûte octaviante 04 '
Octavine 02 '
Basson-Hautbois 08th'
Voix Humaine 08th'
Cor Anglais 16 '
Trumpets 08th'
Clairon 04 '
Pedale Cf 1
Flute 16
Flute 08th'
Flute 04 '
Bombard 0 16 '
Trumpets 08th'
Clairon 04 '

The choir organ was built in 1885 by the organ builder Jules Magen. The instrument has 15 stops on two manual works and a pedal.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Agen Cathedral
  2. ↑ Information on the organs

Web links

Commons : Agen Cathedral  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 44 ° 12 ′ 24.5 ″  N , 0 ° 37 ′ 9 ″  E