Dolmens and statue-menhirs
The Tarn has about a hundred dolmens and about thirty statue-menhirs. Originally, the dolmen was a sepulchral chamber made of large stones covered with horizontal slabs, built on a tumulus and intended to receive several burials. The term "menhir" refers to a large stone planted vertically.
During the Chalcolithic period, many stones were erected and sometimes sculpted. Although the eyes and nose are clearly visible, the mouth was never represented. Today, it is difficult to clearly interpret the symbolic or ritual meaning of these stone witnesses. These works of art from another age have kept their secret and provoke a strange fascination in all those who approach them.
In the Tarn, the most important menhir is the Peyrelevade of Sainte-Carissime, while the most remarkable dolmens are that of La Peyra Levada (2 km from Verdier), that of Saint-Paul (a hamlet in Sainte-Cécile-du-Cayrou) and that of Peyrolebado (3 km from Vaour).Southern architecture
The architecture of the buildings in the Tarn is characteristic of Occitan Gothic art, known as "southern". This trend appeared in the 13th century and is the result of the fusion of the French Gothic style from the north of the country with the "Mudéjar" art. The latter, a true symbol of Spanish history, corresponds to the artistic and architectural aesthetics of the Spanish Muslims. The Alhambra and the Alcazar are its greatest representatives.
In the Middle Ages, the troubadours and merchants, often in business between Saragossa and Toulouse, reported the beauty of these buildings to the Occitan lords. Little by little, they integrated the two styles into their properties, creating the southern art. This is characterized by, among other things, interlaced arches, square-based towers topped by an octagonal shape, or bell-walls, a vertical and flat bell tower located at the front of the churches. The most representative building of this architecture is undoubtedly the Sainte-Cécile cathedral in Albi.
Country houses and castles
High places of the medieval period, perched on their hills, preserving the vestiges of their ramparts, the bastides were mostly built in the 13th century by the Counts of Toulouse to resist the desires of expansion of the lords of Ile-de-France. A vain attempt, but one that has the merit of having given us Cordes-sur-Ciel, the celestial one, the jewel in the crown of the bastides; Puycelci and its elegant seigneurial residences; Vaour, where the Templars established one of their most important commanderies; or Castelnau-de-Montmiral and its remarkable central square with its arcades. Each stone of these bastides and belvedere villages is like a page in a fabulous history book, which you can leaf through as you venture through these lands...
As you travel through this thousand-year-old land, you will also discover the remains of the Tarn castles. If the reputation of those of Penne and Castelnau-de-Montmiral has travelled outside the borders of the department, they are far from being unique. A land of lords, bishoprics and comtat, this territory has seen many influences and still has a multitude of remains that testify to these different passages and installations. Take the time to get away from the cities, follow the lapping of the Agout and Tarn rivers, get lost in the forest of Grésigne and in the Natural Park of the Haut-Languedoc, these exceptional buildings are waiting for you.
Religious architecture
From the winding streets of the Albigeois to the steep hills of Cordes-sur-Ciel, the heritage of the department bears witness to its intense religious history. Between Albi the Catholic, Castres the Protestant and many places marked by Catharism, the identities differ. We can also see the presence of large and solid fortress churches that served as a refuge in case of aggression. An architecture encouraged by the Albigensian Crusade, the raids of the English and the wars of religion.
To discover the many facets of the country's religious past, the best way is to visit its emblematic monuments. Among the few must-sees in Tarn, you will find the Sainte-Cécile cathedral in Albi, the parish church in Rabastens and the abbey-school in Sorèze.
The small heritage
The territory is studded with vernacular heritage elements, or "small heritage", which tell, through their architecture, the daily life and practices of the past. The communes of the Tarn have carried out important restoration and protection work on washhouses and dovecotes.
Nicknamed "the women's parliament", the washhouse put everyone on an equal footing, at a time when ashes were used as soap, because it gave free access to water. It was the appearance of the first washing machines, after the Second World War, that put an end to its use. Beautiful wash houses can still be seen in Damiatte, Lacabarède, Hautpoul, Lautrec, Les Cammazes and many other small villages.
When you look up, your eyes will naturally be drawn to the pigeon lofts of the department. There are about 2,000 of them, of different shapes and made of different materials. There is the Gaillac type, with a square tower and a roof with two sloping angles, the Toulouse style, with two successive staggered roofs, the dovecote with arches, often made of brick, and the Castres dovecote, built of sandstone with a slate roof and a bell tower that resembles an arrow. Their dimensions had to be proportionate to the size of the properties on which they were built. From the Middle Ages until the 19th century, pigeon droppings, called "colombine", were used as fertilizer for cultivated land. Pigeons were the object of all sorts of envy and were an integral part of the dowries of the great families of Occitania; the wealth of the families was evaluated according to the number of cavities in each pigeon house, normally corresponding to the size of the nests. Some smart guys multiplied the number of these niches to appear richer, in order to be able to "coo" with their bride... This is the origin of the term "pigeonner", the meaning of which is well known nowadays!
