Maguelone Cathedral heritage designation monument historique classé
Maguelone Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Maguelone ; Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Maguelone) is a Roman Catholic church and former cathedral located around 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Montpellier in the Hérault department of southern France. The building stands on an isthmus between the Étang de l'Arnel lake and the Mediterranean Sea in the Gulf of Lion, which was once the site of the original city of Maguelone, opposite the present-day town of Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone.
Maguelone Cathedral was once the episcopal seat of the former Bishop of Maguelone until 1563, when the see was transferred to the newly created Bishopric of Montpellier. The cathedral, constructed when the see was returned here in the 11th century from Substantion by Bishop Arnaud (1030-1060), is a Romanesque fortified building. Although parts, such as the towers, have been demolished, the main body of the building remains functional and is a registered national monument. It is run by a dedicated preservation society, les Compagnons de Maguelone, and is used for both religious and secular purposes.Decay and abandonment
The prosperous bishopric of Maguelone aroused the envy of the Kingdoms of France and Aragon. In the 15th century the bishop moved his residence to Montpellier while the canons remained in Maguelone, managed by the provost of the cathedral chapter. The see was abolished in 1536 and the bishop then settled permanently in Montpellier. The canons sold off the monastic buildings, which gradually fell into ruin. The fortified cathedral, now a Protestant stronghold, was partially demolished in 1632 on the orders of Cardinal Richelieu. Sections of walls were sold in 1708 for use in the construction of the Canal du Rhône à Sète which connects the nearby Thau lagoon at Sète to the Rhône River.
Sold as national property during the Revolution and classified as a historic monument in 1840, the area of Maguelone was acquired by the historian Frédéric Fabrege in 1852 who began a programme of restoration. He carried out excavations which uncovered the cathedral's rich past, rediscovering the foundations of older buildings. He also planted a number of Mediterranean plant species, the island then being totally denuded of trees. Christian worship returned to the cathedral in 1875. Fabrege's son donated the island to the Diocese of Montpellier in 1949.
cultural heritage status designation as a heritage site listed status official heritage recognition heritage classification