Argeles sur mer Church Our Lady of the Meadow Notre Dame del Prat

Church

Notre Dame del Prat

(Our Lady of the Meadow)

The church of Argeles have been probably built

during the first half of the XIVth century. It comes after

another church which was mentioned for the first time

in 1.178.

A statue of the Virgin, now missing,

would have been discovered in a meadow by a
shepherd when searching its ox which moved away
from the herd.

A small chapel had been built on the exact place of the
discovery.

The city increasing, the ramparts were modified, and

the chapel destroyed. No one wanted to move the
statue, so that it has been installed in a niche of the
gate: it became Nostra Senyora del Portal del Prat.

(Our Lady of the Meadow Gate)

A request from Argeles consuls to the royal
prosecutor, on May the 7th 1.341, asking for the
authorization to assign to religious administrative
council bakery incomes of their city, informs us that the
council set in the bell-tower of the church, in a room of
the ground floor.

The east side should normally constitute the apse.

It was entirely built out with dimension stones.

But probably rather early its upper part collapsed

and caused transfer of the sanctuary, and
consequently, new direction of the church.

Ribs of the choir vault form a composition that we
should date from 1.780, according to the boss
removed during works of restoration in 2.001.