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Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Julien-et-Sainte-Basilisse de Villeneuve-de-la-Raho is an emblematic Romanesque building of Roussillon, located below the village. First mentioned between 996 and 1149, it was the parish church until the 17th century, before being replaced by a new high church. Disused, it fell into ruin before being restored recently. Its architecture is distinguished by an extended unique nave of a narrower choir and a semicircular apse, typical of the local Romanesque style.

The chapel features a bedside decorated with superimposed blind arcades, once supported by columns and pilasters. Four carved, though eroded, capitals remain. The southern monumental gate, which has now disappeared, was a testament to its past importance. Ranked a historic monument on May 2, 1912, it illustrates the medieval Catalan religious heritage, marked by successive changes.

Inside, the choir is framed by two double arches resting on columns committed to capitals. The nave, vaulted in a broken cradle, and the cul-de-four abside underline the technical mastery of the builders. Although partially altered, the chapel remains a remarkable example of the Romanesque art of Roussillon, studied by historians such as Marcel Durliat and Géraldine Mallet.

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