Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Félix d'Neuve, classified as a Historical Monument since 1922, presents an architectural plan in Greek cross, characteristic of southern Romanesque art. The nave, extended by a rectangular sanctuary, is flanked by two lateral chapels: one semicircular (at the epistle side), the other rectangular (at the gospel side), partially supporting the bell tower. The porch, probably later added, leans against the semicircular chapel, as evidenced by the continuity of its cornice inside the building.

The main gate, moved when adding a stand at the back of the nave, dates from the 12th century as the entire monument. It is decorated with five archvolts, one of which rests on columns, and its tympanum has a chrism surmounted by a cross, framed by the letters alpha and omega. Symbolic motifs like birds and lamb complete this decoration, highlighted by a twisted wand and clover leaves. The interior covers combine wooden cradles (nave and sanctuary) and masonry vaults (chapel under steeple).

The construction techniques reveal a mastery of the various vaults: cul-de-four and cradle for the semicircular chapel, wooden ribs for the sanctuary. The building, a communal property, illustrates the Romanesque religious architecture of the central Pyrenees, marked by a synthesis between Christian symbolism and structural innovations. Its classification in 1922 attests to its heritage value, while its current state allows for a location deemed satisfactory a priori (level 6/10).

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