Najac sightseeing tour

Place du Faubourg

Designed to accommodate markets, the long, narrow Place du Faubourg is bordered by two rows of houses that formed a linear development. To the south, the 15th- and 16th-century stone or half-timbered houses , aligned in a row, extend into covered areas where goods for sale were sheltered. A groove, roughly half a cane's length (approximately 1 meter), cut into a pillar recalls the need for consular officials to calibrate the lengths of woolen, linen, or hemp cloth sold by foreign merchants using Najac measurements.

The Griffoul fountain

This public fountain, carved from a monumental block of granite , occupies the central part of the village. A dedication in Latin commemorates the date of its construction and the names of the consuls who commissioned it. The coat of arms of Najac (a fortified castle), a bishop giving a blessing (Gilbert de Cantobre, Bishop of Rodez), a bearded king, and figures with enigmatic faces adorn its decagonal basin.

The Saint Bartholomew Chapel

XIVth century

This chapel, which retains most of its architectural layout, and of which the entrance gate remains, was once associated with a hospital and a cemetery. It came under the Dômerie d'Aubrac. Confiscated as national property and sold during the Revolution, it was transformed into a dwelling house.

Saint-Barthélemy Square

Right next to the chapel, Place Saint-Barthélemy offers a very beautiful view of the fortress and the Aveyron gorges.

The Governor's House

Former residence assigned to the royal administration, then property of various noble families engaged in trade during the end of the Middle Ages, the building retains important architectural remains (shop arch, windows, cupboards, latrine conduit) dating from the XNUMXth century. , XIVth and XVth centuries.

The building currently houses the Interpretation Centre for the Architecture and Heritage of the Bastides of Rouergue . Open to visitors.

The Seneschal's House

15th and 16th centuries

Built at the foot of the fortified castle, this late medieval residence, which retains mullioned windows, a watchtower and fragments of a mural painting, is believed to have been the residence of the seneschal of Rouergue , at a time when Najac – then populated by about 3000 souls – was the administrative and judicial capital of the province of Rouergue.

The royal fortress

Dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, the fortress of Najac was built to defend the Rouergue region when the Counts of Toulouse chose Najac as their capital. Upon the death of Raymond VII in 1249, the structure passed into the hands of Alphonse of Poitiers, brother of Saint Louis, and was extensively rebuilt according to the architectural styles of the Kingdom of France. This explains why the original eastern section features right angles, while the later section is characterized by cylindrical towers. Among these is the keep, boasting arrow slits nearly 7 meters long.

The Gate of the Pike

XIIIth century

This defensive work, contemporary with the fortified castle built by Alphonse de Poitiers, was initially part of the enclosure that surrounded the town until the XNUMXth century. The door, covered by a semi-circular arch, was surmounted by an upper chamber intended to defend access, and defended by a stunner allowing the pounding of possible assailants.

The Church of Saint John the Evangelist

XNUMXth century

The church, which adopts the Languedoc Gothic style and whose proportions are monumental, was erected at the request of the Dominican inquisitors thanks to the participation of the inhabitants, several of whom, suspected of heresy, were condemned to pay a heavy fine to redeem their faults.

The eminently sober architecture of this vast stone vault, buttressed by enormous buttresses, is lit by windows made of openwork slabs.

The single nave, wide and high, was suitable for preaching, public meetings and the reception of pilgrims who could contemplate relics there. The latter received hospitality in the Saint Jacques inn, located opposite the church.

The Saint-Blaise bridge

XIIIth century

Built along the ancient road leading to Villefranche-de-Rouergue , this humpback bridge allowed merchants, as well as pilgrims heading to Compostela, to cross the Aveyron River in all seasons. Local lords, and later consuls acting on behalf of the King of France, maintained a toll there, collecting substantial taxes (tonlieu) on people and goods.