The origins of the cathedral date to the early 9th century, when a church was constructed and consecrated by
Pope Leo III on a hilltop overlooking the town of Condom. Following destruction from a
Norman raid in 850, Garsie, Count of Gascony, made donations for the restoration of the building which was transformed into a Benedictine abbey dedicated to
Saint Peter in 1011. By the early 14th century, the abbey had evolved into the seat of the Bishopric of Condom, established by
Pope John XXII, who elevated the site to a cathedral in 1317. In 1368, the abbey church was completely demolished after a
papal bull issued by
Pope Urban V drew attention to the poor condition of the building. Reconstruction continued until 1400 in a
Gothic style
. However, despite extensive reconstruction lasting over 30 years, the cathedral was nevertheless rushed to completion, and a bell tower hastily installed on the western facade partially collapsed in 1506, taking with it three chapels and sections of the roof. Reconstruction began in 1506 shortly after the collapse. The new cathedral footprint would be based off
Auch Cathedral and constructed in a
Flamboyant Gothic style. The main portion of cathedral including the
rib vaulted nave and stained glass windows was completed relatively quickly and consecrated in 1531, followed by the
cloister and
chapter house shortly afterwards. In 1569, during the
Wars of Religion, the cathedral narrowly escaped total destruction but would nevertheless suffer from periodic vandalism consistent with other churches and religious sites around France. The cathedral endured heavy damage during the
French Revolution, when revolutionary forces burst into the church and completely destroyed its interior, including the organ installed in 1605. Following the
Concordat of 1801, the Diocese of Condom was abolished, but the church was allowed to continue services, although demoted to parish church status. Restorations initiated in the 19th century focused on repairing damages and reinforcing the Gothic structure. Work began in 1835, starting with the repainting of the vault in 1841, the construction of a new chancel railing, and the recreation of chancel stained-glass windows. The destroyed choir was rebuilt in a
Neo Gothic style inspired by
Albi Cathedral, and restoration finished with the cathedral's classification as a historic monument in 1840. Unlike many other cathedrals around France, Condom Cathedral was spared from damage from both
World War I and
World War II. ==Architecture==