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Origin and history

The church Saint-Barthélemy de Thégra, located in the Lot en Occitanie department, finds its origins in the 12th century. At that time, it was the seat of an archpriest attested as early as 1106. The original Romanesque building included a carpented nave extended by a choir with a right span and a semicircular apse, under which a vaulted crypt extended. This crypt, still visible, preserves an altar of the 12th century, witness to the first phase of construction.

In the 15th century, after the Hundred Years' War, the medieval choir was destroyed to give way to a transept surmounted by a square bell tower. This major transformation was financed by the Valon family, lords of Thégra, who also built a funeral chapel dedicated to Saint John the Baptist in the early 16th century. The seigneury had previously belonged to the Gasc and Cornil families before passing to the Valon, marking the local history.

The building, which combines Romanesque (nef, crypt) and Gothic (transept, polygonal apse), was classified as historical monuments on 9 March 1923. The nave, composed of two unequal spans, preserves traces of its vault as a primitive cradle, while the apse, initially rectangular, was enlarged and vaulted again in the 15th century. Several liturgical objects of the church are today referenced in the Palissy base, highlighting its rich furniture heritage.

Historical sources also mention links with the Count of Penthever in the 15th century, illustrating the political and religious connections of Thégra. Archaeological and architectural studies, such as those conducted by Nicolas Bru or Abbé René Clary, highlight its importance in the diocese of Cahors. Today, the church remains a major witness to the architectural and social evolution of the medieval Quercy.

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