Conques
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robot Adding: [[fi:Conques]]
{{French commune
|nomcommune=Conques<br>[[Image:Conques, Aveyron, France.jpg|270px]]<br><small>View of the village and church</small>
|région=[[Midi-Pyrénées]]
|département=[[Aveyron]]
|arrondissement=Rodez
|canton=[[Canton of Conques|Conques]]
|insee=12076
|cp=12320
|maire=
|mandat=
|intercomm=
|longitude=2.39722222222|latitude=44.6002777778
|alt moy=442 m
|alt mini=221 m
|alt maxi=663 m
|hectares=3,051
|km²=30.51
|sans=302
|date-sans=1999
|dens=9.9
|date-dens=1999}}
[[Image:Conques, Aveyron.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Sainte-Foy abbey-church in Conques]]
[[Image:Great door, Conques (Felicity).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Church doors]]
'''Conques''' (''Concas'' in [[occitan]]) is a village and [[communes of France|commune]] in the [[Aveyron]] ''[[departments of France|département]]'' of southern [[France]].
==Geography==
The village is located at the confluence of the [[Dourdou]] and [[Ouche]] rivers. Built on a hillside and with classic narrow Medieval streets, vehicles other than those belonging to residents may not enter the historic town centre but must park outside. Consequently, most day visitors enter on foot and, as at least one overnight visitor has observed, the majority of the tourists depart in the late afternoon, leaving the town much less crowded.
The town was largely passed by in the nineteenth century, and was saved from oblivion by the efforts of a small number of dedicated people. As a result, the historic core of the town has very little construction dating from between 1800 and 1950, leaving the medieval structures remarkably intact. The roads have been paved, and modern-day utility lines are buried.
==Sainte-Foy abbey-church==
The Sainte-Foy [[abbey]]-church in Conques was a popular stop for [[pilgrim]]s on their [[Way of St. James|way]] to [[Santiago de Compostela]], in what is now [[Spain]]. Its construction was begun on the foundations of a smaller earlier [[basilica]], directed by the abbot Odolric ([[1031]]-[[1065]]) and completed around the year [[1120]]. It was built in [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque style]], using a warm-colored local [[limestone]] infilled with a local gray [[schist]]. The daringly large dome that originally covered the [[crossing (architecture)|crossing]] later collapsed and was replaced in the [[15th century]].
The main draw for medieval pilgrims at Conques were the remains of [[St Faith|Sainte Foy]], a [[martyr]]ed young woman from the [[4th century]]. Her name has been assimilated into the general conception of 'Holy Faith.' In the late [[9th century]], a monk from Conques allegedly stole these relics from a nearby monastery in order to draw travellers (and wealth) to Conques. The church that was eventually built had a double purpose: to accommodate the flock of pilgrims and at the same time to allow a community of monks to gather for the divine office seven times a day. Thus, Sainte-Foy has been designed like a [[pilgrimage]] shrine but also as an abbey-church. To serve the inhabitants of the town, a separate parish church was erected, dedicated to [[Thomas a Becket|Saint Thomas of Canterbury]]. This smaller church is no longer standing.
In the 19th century, the author and antiquary [[Prosper Mérimée]], appointed the first Inspector of Historical Monuments, inspired thorough restorations.
The Sainte-Foy abbey-church was added to the [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Sites]] in 1998, as part of the [[World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France]]. Its Romanesque architecture, albeit somewhat updated in places, is displayed in periodic self-guided tour opportunities, especially of the upper level, some of which occur at night with live music and appropriately-adjusted light levels. A particularly interesting aspect of the church is the set of carvings of the "curieux" (the curious ones) who are peeking over the edges of the [[tympanum (architecture)|tympanum]] arch.
The late Hannah Green, an accomplished writer, penned a non-fiction work about Conques and the church entitled, "Little Saint".
==Gallery==
<Gallery>
Image:2003 Conques hermitage IMG 6333.JPG|Conques hermitage
Image:2003 Conques arch IMG 6323.JPG|Entrance gate to Conques - the Port du Barry
Image:2003 Conques vista IMG 6343.JPG|Conques rooftop vista
Image:Conques doorway carving 2003 IMG 6330.JPG|Abbey-church doorway carving
Image:2003 Conques carving detail IMG 6348.JPG|Abbey-church doorway carving detail
Image:2003 Conques carving detail IMG 6349.JPG|Abbey-church doorway carving detail
Image:2003 Conques carving detail IMG 6350.JPG|Abbey-church doorway carving detail
Image:2003 Conques carving detail IMG 6351.JPG|Abbey-church doorway carving detail
Image:2003 Conques carving detail IMG 6352.JPG|Abbey-church doorway carving detail
Image:2003 Conques carving detail IMG 6353.JPG|Abbey-church doorway carving detail
Image:Blason Conques.svg|Conques coat of arms
Image:Conques - panorama.jpg|Conques panorama
</Gallery>
==External links==
{{commonscat|Conques}}
*[http://www.conques.com/visite16.htm History and structure of Sainte-Foy abbey-church; many photos]
*[http://www.conques.fr Official Conques web site from the Tourist Office; all the essential and accurate information to visit and to know about Conques]
*[http://www.paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/France/West/Conques_&_%20River_Lot/Conques/Conques_Tympanum.htm Detailed Photos and Explanation of Ste-Foy Tympanum]
[[Category:Communes of Aveyron]]
[[Category:Plus Beaux Villages de France]]
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