Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The chapel of the Ladres de Bruzac, located in Saint-Pierre-de-Côle (Dordogne), is the last vestige of an ancient madrery, a medieval establishment dedicated to the reception of lepers. Dating from the 15th century, it illustrates the religious and charitable architecture of this period, with features such as an original pavement and a red ceiling, painted in brown with yellow beams decorated with red motifs. These decorative elements, although partially restored, bear witness to the local artistic practices of the time.

The western wall of the chapel has a remarkable feature: an entrance door accompanied by a series of openworked columns. These openings allowed patients, kept apart to avoid contagion, to follow religious services from outside. This mechanism reflects the health and social measures in force in the Middle Ages, where leprosy led to physical exclusion while maintaining a spiritual connection with the community.

The chapel was listed as a Historic Monument by order of 24 June 1948, thus recognizing its heritage value. The site, although partially altered, maintains an approximate location (specification estimated at 6/10 depending on the sources), and its rural setting in Saint-Pierre-de-Côle offers an overview of the implantation of maladries in periurban or rural areas. No information is available on any sponsors or historical characters related to its foundation.

Today, the chapel of the Ladres of Bruzac does not seem to be systematically open to the visit, and the sources do not mention tourist services (such as guest rooms), nor any specific current use. His interest lies mainly in his historic role as a place of care and worship for the marginals of medieval society, as well as in his architectural arrangements adapted to this function.

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