Ariège A brief history... Capital of the "Consorani" tribe (who gave the Couserans region its name), then an important Roman city, Saint-Lizier is named after the warrior bishop Glycerius who fought in 506 against the Goths then the Saracens. A remarkable feature of Saint-Lizier is that it has two cathedrals: Notre-Dame du Siège, part of the bishop's palace which currently dominates the town, and Saint-Lizier cathedral, built on the tomb of the saint in the centre of the town. Saint-Lizier cathedral is considered the finest Romanesque building in the department.

Romanesque treasures The outside of Saint-Lizier cathedral bears little witness to the XIth century apart from its squat silhouette and its bell tower, which has no spire due to a lack of funds. The treasures lie within: the main apse is surrounded by prodigious fresques dating back 800 years but discovered only recently. Towards the top, apostles and prophets are shown in pairs on each arch. Further down, there are scenes from Christ's childhood: the Annunciation, Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth (shown cheek to cheek), bathing the infant Jesus… The apsidioles, with extraordinarily thick walls, were originally covered by wooden rafters, since replaced by stone vaults. A fresque in the northern apsidiole represents the heavenly Jerusalem. Near the southern apsidiole, a small room discovered by chance in 1958 contains a sarcophagus and a tomb, the burial place of the first bishops.

The serene, silent cloister has only been changed since the Romanesque period by the addition of a wooden stage. Its stone capitals are made by different craftsmen: those on the north and east bear the marks of the master sculptors of La Daurade in Toulouse. Those of the galleries opposite are rougher and were no doubt the work of local craftsmen.

		Reception Office du Tourisme de St. Lizier Place de l'Eglise Phone: 05 61 96 77 77 E-mail: otlizier@aol.com Website: www.ariege.com/st-lizier Comité départemental du Tourisme de l'Ariège 1, bis Avenue du General de Gaulle 09004 Foix Phone: 05 61 02 30 70 Website: www.ariegepyrenees.com/	Visiting times Open daily from 9-12 and 2-6pm in winter and 2-7pm in summer. For guided tours, please contact the Tourist Office