Crypte Saint-Girons, Romanesque crypt in Hagetmau, France
Crypte Saint-Girons is an underground chamber beneath the former abbey church with four red marble columns supporting an arched vault overhead. The rectangular space is divided and structured by these columns, which display intricately carved stone capitals.
This crypt was built in the 12th century as part of an abbey church complex that once dominated the hilltop above Hagetmau. The church above gradually disappeared over time, leaving only this underground chamber as a surviving trace of that religious complex.
The fourteen carved capitals inside show biblical and allegorical scenes that reflect how worshippers once understood religious stories. These carvings reveal the artistic language used in southwestern Romanesque churches to teach and inspire visitors.
Access to the crypt requires descending one of two side staircases built into the thick walls, each with about fifteen steps. The low ceilings and enclosed underground setting mean you will need to move carefully and watch your head in certain areas.
The four red marble columns may originally have come from an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. These older stone columns were repurposed and incorporated into the crypt when it was built, connecting this medieval space to an earlier era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
