Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel Saint-André des Arques, located in the Lot en Occitanie, is a religious building built between the 10th and 12th centuries. Its Romanesque architecture, marked by a unique rectangular nave and a cul-de-four vaulted apse, reflects medieval construction techniques. Iron and painted joints, visible in the apse and on the triumphal arch, suggest a major dating in the 11th century. The chapel, initially parish church, benefited from donations from the Vassal family of Saint-Gily, owner of the nearby castle of Péchaudié.

The chapel underwent subsequent changes, including the partial reconstruction of the northern wall after the Hundred Years' War and the addition of a south window at the end of the 15th century. Ranked a historic monument in 1979, it houses murals rediscovered in 1954 by Abbé Paul Latapi and Ossip Zadkine. These frescoes, dating from the end of the 15th or early 16th century, depict biblical scenes such as the Annunciation, the Apostles, and a rare God the Father with the tiara.

The triumphal arch in full hang, supported by committed pillars, separates the nave from the apse adorned with the Tetramorph and a chess frieze. The bell tower-wall, typical of regional Romanesque architecture, overlooks the west wall. The chapel thus illustrates the artistic and religious evolution of the Bouriane, between Romanesque heritage and late Gothic enrichments.

After the abolition of the parish during the Revolution, the chapel was restored as a place of worship in the Concordat. Its painted decoration, including the Flagellation of Christ and a Saint Christophe on the pillars, testify to the cultural and spiritual importance of the site. Construction techniques, such as squared bellows and chamfered imposts, reinforce its heritage interest.

External links