Condom Cathedral

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Condom Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Condom) is a former Catholic cathedral, and a national monument of France, located in Condom, Gers. It was formerly the seat of the Bishops of Condom; the diocese was added to the Archdiocese of Auch in 1822.

[edit] Building description

The cathedral dominates the town, which sits on a hill above the Baïse River. It was designed at the end of the 15th century, and built 1506-31, one of the last major buildings in the Gers region to be constructed in the Gothic style of south-west France. The church has buttresses all around and there is a 40 metre square tower over the west front. The west front door has the Four Evangelists' symbols in the tympanum, and the south nave door in the Flamboyant Gothic style still has 24 small statues in the niches of the archivolt.

Inside, the wide, aisleless nave is lit by the clerestory windows with grisaille glass. At night, the lights on the Flamboyant tracery of the clerestory windows are a lovely sight. There is a neo-Gothic rood screen (or jubé) from 1844 around the chancel which forms a pseudo-ambulatory. The stained glass in the choir is from the 19th century. This cathedral was famous for its sumptuous 16th century liturgy, and for its organ of 1605 at the west end. This is commemorated in the choir vault bosses with figures of angel musicians. The original pulpit with its delicately-carved stone baldaquin is still in place. The 16th century cloister is now a public passageway adjoining a car park, the exterior of which is attractively illuminated at night.

[edit] External links

• Location