Saint-Hilaire (Aude)
Saint- Hilaire is a commune with 762 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011 ) in the Aude in the Languedoc- Roussillon region. It is located south of Carcassonne.
History
Excavations prove a settlement already in Roman times, but the real surge in development was carried out by the foundation of the abbey. The origins of the foundation lie in the dark; the 825 first mentioned in a document from her show that the abbey originally bore the name of St. Saturnin. The sarcophagus of this bishop - a work of the Master of Cabestany, an unknown sculptor of the 12th century - is in the former abbey church today.
At the beginning of the 9th century confirmed a charter to the monks the foundations of Charlemagne and secured them to the right to live according to the Benedictine rule, and to choose an abbot.
To this abbey around the village, which now houses a population of about 700 inhabitants developed in the subsequent period. 970 acquired the abbey the relics of St. Hilary, the first bishop of Carcassonne from the 6th century, which had a great heyday result.
Until the beginning of the 13th century, the abbey was under the protection of the Counts of Carcassonne, but in the course of the crusade against the Cathars, the monks of Saint- Hilaire were accused of heresy. The Abbey lost many of their possessions and their autonomy.
In the following centuries, the abbey suffered repeatedly from economic difficulties, caused inter alia by the Hundred Years War - from this period the fortifications - and the plague. 1574 Town and Abbey in the wars of religion were severely damaged.
In 1748 the abbey was dissolved. The church served as the parish church of the village population that is no longer needed monastery buildings were sold.