The episodes of the classification of the Church of Laroque as Historical Monuments are told to us. A story with twists and turns!
Here is the second contribution of Pierre Barousse, member of the Laroquais Collective of Friends of Heritage, to the writing competition organized by the Country of Art and History. He had already sent a writing entitled “Words of stone” (read our May 9 edition). He made speak the stones of the Notre-Dame-du-Mercadal church, which told in particular how the building classified as a Historic Monument had been built. His new writing relates to the tumultuous history of his ranking.
Listed in 1875, then 2001
Pierre Barousse’s full text can be viewed on the PAH website (1). Here are some extracts for an “appetizer”.
Let’s start with the outcome: “In the year 2000, the church of Laroque-d’Olmes was inscribed on the list of historic monuments for only” its bell tower, its porch and its portal “. purchase, thanks to a private donation, of the old organs of the Royal Chapel of the Palace of Versailles in 2001 by the municipality, Mrs. Ispa, mayor, asks for the complete registration of the church on the supplementary inventory of historical monuments. is granted on December 17, 2001 by the prefect of the region and allows the municipality to undertake a major restoration, this one revealing, among other things, a monumental fresco of the XVIth century which comes to enrich the decorations mentioned in the reason for inscription . “
Yes, but … if we go back in time as Pierre Barousse does, we realize that since 1875, the date on which the church was the third monument in Ariège to be classified as a Historic Monument, several episodes of declassification (1886), partial reclassification (1950 ), and finally 2001 for a reclassification of the whole building. “This story must be quite rare among the 15,000 churches and chapels listed out of the 45,000 that France has!” observes Pierre Barousse.
The Land of Art and History invites
The writing competition “What makes heritage for you in the Cathar Pyrenees” organized by the Country of Art and History has been closed since the end of September. Among the thirty texts produced, not all have yet been valued in our Sunday section “A place, a story”. They will be done before the participatory forum is held on Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 November aimed at allowing a wide consultation for the writing of the project carried by the two communities of municipalities of the Cathar Pyrenees. This project will be presented to the DRAC with the aim of obtaining the renewal of the Country of Art and History label for the next decade. Before that, on Saturday October 16 from 10 am at the Casino de Lavelanet, Marina Salby and Lucas Destrem will present their results: 10 years of actions within the framework of the label awarded by the Ministry of Culture; rendering of the inventory of the industrial heritage of the Pays d’Olmes carried out as part of the mission entrusted by the Occitanie Region. Registration on 05 61 05 52 03.
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