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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Alban de Neffiès, located in the Hérault department, is mentioned for the first time in the 10th century, at the same time as the castle and the village, whose property it then shares with the Abbey of Saint-Thiberry. These properties are shared, the church and the castle being half owned by this abbey. This link with local religious institutions underlines its importance from this early medieval period.

In the 12th century, the distribution of rights changed: the church and the castle were now held for a third by the abbey Saint-Sauveur of Lodève. Later, the church passed under the dependence of the chapter of Saint-Aphrodise de Béziers, although the documents did not specify the exact date of this transfer. These changes of ownership reflect the political and religious dynamics of the region, where abbeys and chapters play a central role in the administration of the territories.

The architecture of the church makes it possible to date its main 13th century construction, characteristic of the southern Gothic. The porch, later added, probably dates back to the first half of the 14th century, while the bell tower, erected above the porch, is an 18th century addition. The north and south side chapels were built in the 19th century, illustrating the successive transformations of the building over the centuries.

The church is distinguished by its unique nave of two spans, nearly 17 meters long, ending with a seven-sided apse, lower and narrower. Originally, it contained neither collateral nor chapels, a simplicity that contrasted with the later additions. This sober plan, typical of rural churches, is linked to the nave by a diaphragm wall, a notable architectural peculiarity.

Referenced in the Mérimée base and in the General Inventory of the Occitanie region, the church Saint-Alban de Neffiès embodies a religious and architectural heritage marked by various influences. Its history, from the 10th century to the modifications of the 18th and 19th centuries, bears witness to its anchoring in the cultural and spiritual landscape of the Hérault.

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