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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Collège Saint-Émilion, located in the Gironde department, was built in the early 12th century for a community of Augustine canons. His construction was completed by Pope Clement V, who in 1306 appointed his nephew, Gaillard de Lamothe, as dean. The building, originally Romanesque, was largely redesigned in the 15th and 16th centuries, with major Gothic additions such as the vaults of the transept and a five-sided apse.

In the 15th century, the maintenance of the church became problematic for the canons, requiring works financed by donations, such as the roof commissioned in 1472 by Arnaud Vesin to master glassmaker Jean Lescamp. A new consecration took place in 1542 after major changes. The cloister, built in the 14th century, replaces a first Romanesque building and features Gothic arches supported by geminate columns, partially restored.

Ranked a historic monument in 1840, the collegiate house housed a 16th-century polychrome wooden statue representing Saint Valéry, the protector of winemakers, reflecting the close link between the building and local life. Major restorations were carried out in the 19th century, notably after the collapse of the structure in 1876, under the direction of Paul Gout (1896-1899). Today the parish church also hosts concerts organized by the association Aemilianus.

Architecture combines Romanesque elements, such as the domes on pendants of the second and third spans, with a predominantly Gothic structure. With a length of 79 meters, a nave of 9 meters wide and a choir of 28 meters, it is one of the largest churches in Gironde. Its furniture and stained glass windows, including a glass window dated 1522, bear witness to its rich artistic and religious background.

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