ST. PETER'S CATHEDRAL

Condom became a bishopric in 1317, taking advantage of the installation of the papacy in Avignon. The church of Saint-Pierre already existed and was attached to the Benedictine abbey founded in 1011. In poor condition, it was completely razed in 1368, to make way for a cathedral worthy of the name. The new cathedral was completed in 1400, but the quality of its construction left much to be desired, as barely a century later, the bell tower collapsed. Bishop Jean Marre undertook a thorough restoration of the cathedral and the work was completed by his successor in 1531. Montgomery would have gladly razed it in 1569 when he seized Condom. But the inhabitants of the city joined together to collect a ransom of 30 000 pounds. Only the chevet of the cathedral and the chapel of the Virgin Mary seem to date back to the 14th century abbey church. All the other elements have been reworked or rebuilt afterwards. The cathedral of southern Gothic style presents a unique nave bordered by numerous side chapels. Its dimensions are imposing: 90 meters long (only 10 meters less than the cathedral of Auch) and a bell tower which culminates at 40 meters. The choir, inspired by the cathedral of Albi, and the interior ornaments go back for the most part to the 19th century, such as the rood screen from the workshop of the Virebent brothers, the stained glass windows or the organ. The latter has known many vicissitudes before being classified in 1974. The cloister dating from 1521 was badly damaged during the Wars of Religion and now hosts concerts in summer.