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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame du Val-Romigier, located in Mornas in the Vaucluse, is an ancient parish church of Romanesque origin, built in the middle of the 12th century on the bases of a place of worship mentioned since 818. Originally dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, it was later placed under the name of Notre-Dame, without the date of this change being specified. The building, marked by its classical Romanesque plan (unique nave, salient transept and absidiole bedside), was enlarged in the Gothic era with the addition of side chapels and restored several times, especially after the sieges suffered by the neighbouring fortress.

The initial Romanesque structure is characterized by a vaulted nave in a cradle, a transept surmounted by a dome on tubes supporting the quadrangular bell tower, and a bedside in cul-de-four. The Gothic modifications include the opening of the southern face of the crucifixes to include chapels (two to the north, one to the south), as well as a southern porch with two separate portals: a novel overlooking the nave, and the other Gothic one serving the lateral chapel. The tower, imposing and several times enhanced, dominates the whole.

Ranked a historical monument by decree of 21 March 1910, the church illustrates the architectural evolution between the 11th and 13th centuries in the region. Its history is linked to the Abbey of Aniane, as evidenced by a donation from Louis le Pieux in 818, although the current building dates mainly from the 12th century. The successive restorations, motivated by the damage caused by local conflicts, preserved its hybrid character, mixing Romanesque rigour and Gothic elegance.

Today owned by the municipality of Mornas, the church of Notre-Dame du Val-Romigier remains a major testimony of Provençal religious heritage. Its location at the foot of the fortress emphasizes its central role in medieval community life, between worship, defense and assembly. The available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) confirm its historical and architectural importance, reinforced by its protection as historical monuments.

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