Basilique Sainte-Foy de Conques

Conques-en-Rouergue

A major stop on the Via Podiensis (the Way from Le Puy), the abbey church owes its fame to the legend of the 'furtive theft' of the relics of Sainte Foy (Saint Faith) — stolen from the monastery at Agen between 866 and 887 by the monk Ariviscus and carried off to Conques, a 'furtum sacrum' that remains celebrated in medieval hagiography. The reliquary statue known as the 'Majesty of Sainte Foy,' gold and silver plates over a wooden core set with gemstones, dates from around the year 900. The Last Judgment tympanum, carved in the early 12th century, is regarded as one of the high points of Romanesque sculpture.

Getting there : Free entry to the basilica; the treasury (museum) is paid entry, and may close for renovation work — check before visiting

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

Ambient sound