Cathedral of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières

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Saint-Pons-de-Thomières with the north-west tower of the former cathedral
Cathedral from the southeast

The former cathedral of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières in the small town of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières with about 2,000 inhabitants in the Hérault department in the Occitania region in southern France is dedicated to St. Dedicated Pontius of Cimiez . Church construction has been recognized as a monument historique since 1840 .

history

The diocese of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières was in the years 1317/8 by a decree of the Pope John XXII, who resided in Avignon . founded against the background of the Albigensian Wars. For this purpose, the Archdiocese of Narbonne was divided and an existing since the 10th century and by Count Raimund III. Benedictine monastery founded by Toulouse in Saint-Pons-de-Thomières dissolved. The former - already fortified - abbey church from the second half of the 12th century was converted into a bishop's church without any structural changes being made.

It was not until the 15th century that the Romanesque choir was demolished in favor of a new Gothic building, which, however, got stuck in the beginning. In 1567 the Huguenots destroyed the former monastery buildings and parts of the cathedral. In 1711, the east side of the half ruin was closed with a baroque-classicist portal facade, the altar was moved to the west of the church and the Romanesque west portal was walled up. The current altar, made of reddish marble from Caunes-Minervois and white marble from Italy, dates from 1768; the elaborately designed and partially gilded wrought-iron choir screen was installed three years later.

During the French Revolution , the building was temporarily closed. By between Napoleon and Pope . Pius VII closed Concordat of 1801 the diocese of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières was dissolved and the later Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montpellier affiliated; the former cathedral was downgraded to the rank of parish church .

architecture

Exterior construction

The former Romanesque west portal, which simulates a triumphal arch scheme with two lateral blind portals, shows a central double tympanum with depictions of the Last Supper or the Ascension of Christ (left) and the crucifixion (right). Both the compositional structure and the figure style of both tympana are very simple; many heads were cut off either by the Huguenots or during the French Revolution .

The south and north walls of the church are stabilized by deep arcades , above each of which a battlement with loopholes runs. These simultaneously stabilizing and defensive additions date from the time after 1170, the year when the Vice Count of Béziers , Carcassonne and Albi Roger II Trencavel attacked the abbey. The unadorned north-west tower has a parapet wall raised by a battlement ; the octagonal pointed helmet shows imitations of shingle .

On the north side there is a Romanesque portal protected by a porch with decoratively designed archivolt arches . The originally robe set columns have disappeared; only their bases can still be seen. In the upper side spandrels of the portal there are allegorical representations of the sun (left) and moon (right).

The largely unadorned east facade, which was added in the 18th century, is in the classicist Baroque style. Only the portal and window frames are slightly profiled . The portal ends with a semicircular bezel .

  • Last Supper and Ascension

  • crucifixion

  • North side

  • North portal

  • East facade

Nave with west altar, organ and lattice barrier

Interior

The late roman nave is from one of transverse arches subjected pointed barrel vault spans; the belt arches rest on pilasters with masonry half-column templates . There are no side aisles; During the Gothic period, side chapels - which have since disappeared again - were added and the windows enlarged.

Furnishing

Decorative highlights of the interior are the late Baroque choir screen, made of different colored marble , with its partially gilded wrought iron grille and the altar behind it, made with the same materials . The pulpit attached to the south wall is stylistically and color-coordinated with the altar - but it is made of colored wood.

organ

Organ from 1772

The organ was built in 1772 by the organ builder Jean-Baptiste Micot and his son. In the course of time the instrument has been changed and supplemented several times; In 1870 the Récit was equipped with a swell device. Nevertheless, the instrument has largely been preserved in its original state to this day.

I Positif dorsal C, D – d 3
1. Bourdon 8th'
2. Montre 4 ′
3. Flute 4′ – 8 ′
4th Nazard 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
5. Duplicate 2 ′
6th Tierce 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′
7th Larigot 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′
8th. Fittings III
9. Cymbals II
10. Cromorne 8th'
II Grand Orgue C, D – d 3
11. Bourdon-Montre 16 ′
12. Montre 8th'
13. Bourdon 8th'
14th Prestant 4 ′
15th Nazard 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
16. Duplicate 2 ′
17th Quarte de Nazard 2 ′
18th Tierce 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′
19th Fittings IV
20th Cymbals III
21st Grand Cornet V
22nd Trumpets 8th'
23. Voix humaine 8th'
24. Clairon 4 ′
III Récit c 1 –d 3
25th Cornet V
26th Trumpets 8th'
Pedale C, D – c 1
27. Flute 8th'
28. Flute 4 ′
29 Trumpets 8th'
30th Clairon 4 ′

See also

literature

  • G. Goyau: Montpellier . In: The Catholic Encyclopedia . Robert Appleton Company, New York 1911, Diocese of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières section ( online [accessed July 28, 2015]).

Web links

Commons : Cathedral of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ancienne Cathédrale Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, Saint-Pons-de-Thomières in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
  2. ↑ Information on the organ

Coordinates: 43 ° 29 ′ 20.2 "  N , 2 ° 45 ′ 33.9"  E