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Origin and history

The Saint-Pierre-ès-liens church of Chantérac is a typical example of the two-nave perigordin churches. The first nave, of Romanesque origin (XII century), was completed by a second nave joined in the 15th or 16th century. Inside, an open wall between the two naves was partially preserved, forming a salient spur that supports the central altar. A multi-rib central pile, later added, supports the ridge vaults covering both spaces.

The exterior façade clearly reveals the two construction periods. The Romanesque nave is surmounted by a fortified square tower serving as a bell tower, typical of medieval defensive architecture. When the Gothic nave was added, a meneau bay was pierced at the bedside, while a smaller bay, surmounted by the remains of a scallop (only the ravens remain), was built above the old front door. These changes illustrate the adaptation of religious buildings to the liturgical and aesthetic needs of successive periods.

Classified as a Historical Monument by order of 24 October 1914, the church now belongs to the commune of Chantérac. Its original design and its hybrid architectural elements make it a remarkable testimony to the evolution of construction techniques between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in Périgord. The accuracy of its location is considered satisfactory, and its current state allows to assess the stylistic superpositions that characterize it.

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