église Saint-Étienne

English translation

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History

The earliest mention of the village designates it as "castellus" in 675. Castellare in 1018; Caislar in 1060; Castlar in 1096. The church is mentioned for the first time in 1119, in the bullary of the abbey of Saint-Gilles. In 1134, it depended on the diocese of Nîmes. In 1369, the priory of Cailar was united with the monastery of Saint-Benoît of Montpellier. Subsequently, this priory of Caylar found itself attached to the chapter of the cathedral of Saint-Pierre of Montpellier. The church was almost entirely ruined either at the time of the first religious troubles or during the siege of 1628. The church has a single nave, with a pentagonal chevet and lateral chapels surmounted by galleries. The bell tower rises at the south-west corner. From the Romanesque period (12th century) date the porch and the adjacent wall, with the turret to the north. The rebuilding after destruction concerns the nave, chevet, south bell tower, dome of the north turret and balustrade. Of all the elements, the bell tower is certainly the most recent, judging by its moulding. The modern parts concern the columns of the porch, the vaults and the altars. The tympanum is decorated with a heart surrounded by a crown of interlaced thorns.