The project has significantly expanded the scope of research on the site, introducing new methodologies, interdisciplinary collaborations, and digital reconstructions that have reshaped scholarly perspectives on its historical and architectural development. The project’s innovative approach has attracted considerable international interest, leading to the inclusion of four distinguished experts outside the consortium — Janet Marquardt, Lei Huang, Vincent Debiais, and Michele Luigi Vescovi — who have contributed with specialized expertise in historiography, medieval visual culture, literary traditions, and performative practices. Their participation in the project’s workshops and conferences underscores its broad intellectual and geographical reach, addressing fundamental questions about the art of pilgrimage, medieval storytelling, and the reinterpretation of sacred spaces across time.
A key objective of the project has been to connect academic research with broader audiences, fostering a dialogue between scholars, heritage professionals, and the public. This effort has been met with strong engagement from local authorities and communities, including the religious community, the mayor, and the citizens of Conques, as well as numerous pilgrims who visit the site annually. To facilitate this exchange, the project has produced various outputs for non-specialized audience.
The research team has actively disseminated project results through public lectures, scholarly presentations, and interactive discussions, reinforcing the importance of making medieval heritage accessible and relevant. The project has demonstrated the need to mediate historical research for contemporary audiences, particularly in light of the ways in which medieval culture is often oversimplified in popular narratives or appropriated for ideological purposes.
A major scholarly outcome of the project is the publication of "Conques Across Time: Inventions and Reinventions (9th–21st Centuries)", edited by Ivan Foletti and Adrien Palladino (Viella / Masaryk University Press, 2025). This monograph, the first comprehensive English-language study dedicated to Conques, brings together sixteen scholars from the consortium and beyond to examine the site’s evolution — from its medieval origins and legendary narratives to its ninteenth-century restorations, twentieth-century reinterpretations, and Pierre Soulages’ artistic interventions.
By integrating archival research, study of the treasure, architecture, and performative cultures, as well as 3D reconstructions and acoustic analyses, the CONQUES project has not only deepened understanding of the site’s medieval fabric but has also shed new light on the cultural forces that have shaped its meaning across time. Alongside its scholarly contribution, the project has prioritized public engagement through public lectures, an illustrated guide to the site, tourist booklets, and a documentary, all designed to make Conques’ complex history more accessible to a wider audience. As a result, it offers a replicable model for studying historic sites as dynamic spaces of reinterpretation, adaptation, and dialogue, ensuring that medieval heritage remains both a rigorous field of research and a resource for public appreciation and education across Europe.
