Église Saint-Christophe-des-Templiers de Montsaunès

Montsaunès

On a trade and pilgrimage route leading from Toulouse to the Pyrenean passes and on to Aragon and Catalonia, the Templars built in the late 12th century a commandery of which only the church survived the Revolution, which razed the remaining buildings. Built of brick, the church is striking for the richness of its decoration: two portals with finely carved capitals of white limestone, and above all a vault painted, between the late 13th and the early 14th century, with rosettes and stars evoking the celestial sphere, framed by frescoes depicting prophets and saints beneath arcading. A rare scene of the Weighing of Souls, and carved masks on the west portal distinguishing the elect from the damned, heighten the singular character of the place, long nicknamed "the secret sanctuary of the Templars" by lovers of medieval mysteries. The Order being renowned as builders, Montsaunès offers one of the rare architectural testimonies to it preserved so completely in France. Listed as a monument historique (historic monument) as early as 1846, the church can be visited today on simple request at the mairie, offering visitors a painted ceiling unique in Comminges, virtually intact after seven centuries.

Getting there : Village of Montsaunès, 31260, between Salies-du-Salat and Saint-Martory, on a route that once linked Toulouse to the Pyrenean passes towards Aragon

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

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