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Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Michel d'Auberoche, located in the commune of Bassillac and Auberoche in Dordogne, is the only remaining vestige of the castle of Auberoche, an ancient medieval castrum destroyed in the 15th century. Built in the 12th century, it has been a historic monument since 1960. This strategic site, perched on a rocky spur overlooking the Auvezère valley, was a key point of defence and control of the surrounding valleys, especially during the Hundred Years War.

The Château d'Auberoche, whose origin dates back to a decision by Bishop Froutaire de Périgueux (976-991) to counter Norman invasions, became a major chestnut in the central Périgord. Infed with the Viscounty of Limoges in the 11th century, it played a crucial political and military role, controlling a territory of 25,000 hectares and fifteen parishes in the 14th century. The chapel, dedicated to Saint Michael, was spared when the castle was destroyed in 1431, after decades of conflict between local lords and the crown.

The Battle of Auberoche in 1345, during the Hundred Years' War, marked a turning point in the history of the site. The English troops, commanded by Henri de Lancaster, won a decisive victory against the French, strengthening their grip on the region. After several changes of hands between French and English, the castle was finally dismantled in 1431 by decision of the consuls of Périgueux, leaving only the chapel as a witness to this tumultuous past.

Archaeological excavations revealed that the site also housed a seigneurial house, housing cells and a fortified enclosure, all built between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The chapel, in Romanesque style, features a rounded apse decorated with foothills-columns and a portal carved into diamond tips. His murals, now missing, were documented in the 19th century by Léo Drouyn. Restored in 1967, it retains a lauze roof, typical of local architecture.

Auberoche's site illustrates feudal dynamics and power conflicts between bishops, Counts and Viscounts in Périgord. Its history also reflects medieval defensive strategies, evolving from wooden castral mots to stone fortifications. After its destruction, the châtellenia was gradually dismembered, and the memory of the castle faded, leaving the chapel as the only trace of this prestigious past.

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