CHAPELLE SAINT AMANS

The little chapel of Saint-Amans (12th century) has almost disappeared from the landscape on several occasions. In 1814, the Conseil d'Etat, acting on a petition from the mayor of Muret, ordered its demolition on the grounds that it was too costly. Muret residents, however, opposed the decision and drove the demolition workers from their homes. In August 1944, the little chapel suffered another blow from fate: the explosion at the Fauga gunpowder factory (located below) caused extensive damage. The roof was hit, and the building fell into disrepair. The chapel was once again abandoned. The chapel was restored in 2000. The architect in charge of the project, Nathalie Prat, began the work. The masonry was reinforced, the east wall was demolished and rebuilt, and a number of missing elements were rebuilt: the roof, the side chapel, the sacristy, the stained-glass windows, the floor and the finials of the "wall belfry". A public subscription was requested to provide the chapel with an altar, reassemble the bells and restore the remaining frescoes. The Saint-Amans chapel has now regained its original charm and is once again making its presence felt. A Romanesque chapel, Saint-Amans is characterized by its massive, austere architecture architecture (very few stained-glass windows). It is liturgically oriented from east to west. The chapel has a Toulouse-style arcaded bell tower surmounted by a triangular pediment. The north wall features alternating rows of pink brick and yellow stone, typical of the region. Saint-Amans has a distinctive feature that sets it apart from the others: its door is located on the south side, not under the bell tower.