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Origin and history

Bélaye Presbytery, located in the Lot department in Occitanie region, is a historic building dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. It was the main entrance to the medieval village of Bélaye, housing under its current name the remains of the episcopal castle, the residence of the archpriest and the church of Sainte-Catherine. In 1236, this area was referred to as "lo cap del castel" (the head of the castle) and was protected by a ditch. This site was a strategic point of the medieval castrum, marking access to the fortified city.

The church of Sainte-Catherine, now extinct with the exception of its gate, served as a parish church until the construction of the church of Saint-Aignan (or Grande church) in the 14th century. The current ruins also include a vaulted passage called "Arboou", an ancient entrance to the citadel, as well as the remains of the prisons and the enclosure of the castle. These elements testify to the administrative and religious importance of the site, linked to the authority of the bishops of Cahors.

The presbytery was partially transformed in the 17th century, but its medieval structures remain visible. Ranked a Historic Monument since April 17, 1984, it illustrates the architectural and urban evolution of Bélaye, between defensive, religious and residential functions. The west and south facades, the vaulted passage and the portal of Sainte-Catherine are now protected, offering a tangible glimpse of this complex past.

Excavations and studies, such as those cited in the works of Gilles Séraphin or Nicolas Bru, highlight the central role of this site in local history. The presbytery thus embodies the superposition of the epochs: an episcopal castle became a clerical residence, then a monumental ensemble marked by the destructions of the nineteenth century and modern restorations.

The location of the presbytery, close to the old castle and church, reflects the typical spatial organization of Occitan castrums. These groups brought together political (castle), religious (church) and community (bourg), often lined with ramparts. Bélaye, like other cities in the Lot Valley, drew prosperity from river trade and agriculture, in a context marked by feudal conflicts and rivalries between lay and ecclesiastical lords.

Today, the site offers a material testimony of medieval dynamics, although its state of conservation is partial. The protected elements — facades, vaulted passage and remains of the castle — allow visitors to grasp the magnitude of the old complex, while recalling the transformations experienced over the centuries, from the wars of Religion to modern redevelopments.

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