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Ancien Couvent de Carmes

Mortemart

The town of Mortemart was built around a chateau whose construction was authorised in 995AD by Abon Drut, The Lord of Mortemart, after his victorious defence of the city of Bellac against Count Guilliaume de Poitiers.
It was demolished by order of the Cardinal Richelieu, as were many such fortresses, symbols of feudal power. In 1330, Cardinal Pierre Gauvain, a native of Mortemart, founded three religious institutions:

• a general hospital, staffed by nuns of the Carmes religious order
• a private school, run by the Augustins religious order
• a monastery, occupied by the Chartreux religious order

The Chapel of Augustins convent, shown above, houses three beautiful hand-sculpted stalls from the 15th century, along with a rectable and a lectern in gilded wood from the 17th century.
Mortemart also houses a 17th century covered market hall and historic houses owned by renowned French notables.

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