Alet-les-Bains - Abbaye Notre-Dame

The Benedictine abbey was founded in the early 9th century. It prospered, but the times got difficult, when feudal wars arose in the area. After the Count of Carcassonne had devastated the abbey, the monks rebuilt it and erected a wall around the abbey and the adjoining village.

As the monks supported the Cathar side, when the Albigensian Crusade started against the heretics, the monks got excommunicated. Decades after Simon de Monfort´s troops had finally conquered the complete area and had wiped out what ever was Cathar, some monks were allowed back.

In 1318 Alet was promoted a diocese and the abbey church became a cathedral.

The abbey had avoided the devastation of the Albigensian crusade, but it did not escape plunder during the Wars of Religions. Huguenot troops took and looted Alet in 1573. The episcopal palace got demolished and the cathedral got destroyed. During an assault in 1577 an uncontrolled cannonball caused the roof of the cathedral to collapse.

The ruins were used as a quarry over the next centuries. First restaurations started in the 19th century.

This large capital differs clearly in style from all other carvings here. I have seen a similar, elaborate carving style in Aragon, south of the Pyrenees.

Actually an identical capital is on display insde the neighbouring parish church, so this may be a copy.