Notre-Dame Abbey Church

About

The Church of Simorre is a 14th-century abbey church built on a 5th-century oratory created by Cérats, who became the patron saint of Simorre.

This church was linked to the Benedictine abbey, which has now completely disappeared. Built in the shape of a Latin cross, it has an octagonal tower at the junction of the nave and transept, which should have been a bell tower like Lombez cathedral.
The nave has only two and a half bays and is finished off by a stone wall. Almost the entire building is in pink brick.
The stained glass windows are remarkable for their age, colour and design (14th, 15th and 16th centuries).
The 16th-century choir stalls have beautiful and moving sculpted details, particularly on the cheeks.
In 1964, during restoration work in the sacristy, some very fine 14th-century wall paintings were discovered. Today, you can admire many religious objects, both simple and sumptuous, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
There are 4 statues to admire: a wooden piéta from the early 8th century, a stone piéta from the 7th century, a statue of St Cérats from the 15th century and a processional cross from the 14th century. In the 19th century, Violet le Duc undertook the restoration of the building, changing its appearance and transforming it into a fortified church.

A document with historic details is available inside as well as signs on the walls. An audio tour in French has been recorded and is available in the church.

Spoken languages : French

Location