Convent of the Jacobins in Agen
Jacobins d’Agen / Dominicans of Agen / Notre-Dame des Jacobins
(Agen, Lot-et-Garonne)
Although the Dominicans had already been present in the city of Agen in matters related to the Inquisition, the Convent of the Jacobins in Agen was not founded until 1249. Its promoter was the inquisitor Bernard de Caux († 1252), who brought the first Dominican friars to the site. Upon his death, he was buried there. Alphonse (1220–1271), Count of Poitiers and brother of Louis IX of France, supported the establishment of the new house by providing the necessary land for its construction.
After overcoming initial opposition from other religious groups in the city, who viewed the arrival of a new community with suspicion, the convent grew and expanded, even founding a university school. In 1561, Agen was occupied by the Huguenots, resulting in significant damage to the city’s churches. As for the Convent of the Jacobins, it was occupied and the Dominican community expelled, but it did not suffer major material losses. However, in 1565, the convent was the target of a military episode that caused severe damage, including loss of lives, material goods, and valuable documents.
The convent’s recovery was slow and it never regained its former splendor. In 1790, during the French Revolution and amid the community’s decline, the Dominicans were forced to leave the convent. The following year, its movable goods and buildings were sold off in various lots. The church was the only part preserved and, in 1807, it resumed religious services as the parish church of Notre-Dame des Jacobins. Currently deconsecrated, it has been part of the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen since 1990.
The surviving church dates back to the convent’s early period, built during the second half of the 13th century, with various modifications and restorations over time. It has a rectangular plan, with three pillars dividing the interior into two naves. The building is made of bricks, except for the stone columns that support the vaults. Inside, medieval mural decorations can still be seen.
Photo by MOSSOT, on Wikimedia
Mural painting
Photo by MOSSOT, on Wikimedia
Plan of the convent before the Revolution
Illustration from Les couvents de la ville d'Agen avant 1789
Detail of a view of Agen with the Jacobins (no. 20)
Illustration from Les couvents de la ville d'Agen avant 1789
- LAUZUN, Philippe (1889). Les couvents de la ville d'Agen avant 1789. Couvents d'hommes. Agen: Michel et Médan
- THOLIN, Georges (1874). Études sur l'architecture religieuse de l'Agenais. Agen, Michel
The Convent of the Jacobins was located on the western edge of Agen’s historic center, near the wall that separated it from the Garonne River