Chapelle Sainte-Catherine du Port (Auvillar)

About

The chapel Sainte-Catherine du Port, also known as the chapel of Marins Sainte-Catherine, is located on Rue Sainte-Catherine, in Auvillar, in the department of Tarn-et-Garonne, in Midi-Pyrénées.

History: The presence of a Carolingian style chrism above the church portal (now deposited and replaced by a copy in 2010) suggests that this chapel dates back to that time.

The presence of a port at the foot of the castle hill is linked to the toll to be paid by the boats sailing on the Garonne. This toll has been known since the twelfth century. Like many chapels built for the sailors along the Garonne, it is dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, patron of the people of the river and philosophers. The Customs of Auvillar of 1265 which take back those of the 12th century show that a chapel existed at the port of Auvillar in the 12th century. In 1204, the consuls of Toulouse waged war at the Viscount of Auvillar to remove the toll. Arnaud Garcie de Goth, brother of Bertrand de Goth, pope under the name of Clement V, is Viscount of Auvillar. The chapel had to be rebuilt at Clement V's initiative between 1305 and 1314. The current painted decor dates...