St John Church

Saint-Jean Church, first mentioned in 1216, was founded by the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem (later Knights of Malta). It was rebuilt in the XVIᵉ century, as attested by the 1560 double shield visible on its façade, bearing the name of Pierre de Beaulac Trébonds, Grand(…)

Saint-Jean Church, first mentioned in 1216, was founded by the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem (later Knights of Malta). It was rebuilt in the XVIᵉ century, as attested by the 1560 double shield visible on its façade, bearing the name of Pierre de Beaulac Trébonds, Grand Prior of Toulouse.

From the XIIᵉ century onwards, the Hospitallers played a major role in Castelsarrasin’s development: they reclaimed the land, encouraged the town’s growth and, in the early XIIIᵉ century, established a major commandery comprising church, priory, hospital, cemetery and gardens. The town was then divided between two parishes: Saint-Jean and Saint-Sauveur.

In 1530, the order officially became the Order of Malta, as can be seen in the elements of the bell tower and the choir window.
In 1924, the interior of the church was decorated with murals by painter René Gaillard-Lala, depicting biblical scenes and key figures from the Order and local history.