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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Fanjeaux, located in the Aude department in the Occitanie region, is a 14th-century religious building in the Languedoc style. It is distinguished by its unique nave with apparent structure, its diaphragm arches, and its vaulted choir of sexpartite warheads. The two-storey octagonal bell tower is surmounted by a triangular pyramid. The western portal, dated from the 14th century, is decorated with seven voussures and leafy capitals, illustrating Southern Gothic art.

The history of the church dates back to 1221, when it was given to Saint Dominique by the bishop of Toulouse. A notarial act of 1276 entrusted its construction to the master d'oeuvre Guillaume d'Escueillens, under the supervision of the Dominican prior Arnaud de Séguier. The works, carried out between 1278 and 1281, were followed by additions such as the 14th century side chapels and a Baroque decoration in the 18th century in the choir. After the collapse of a false vault in 1920, the medieval structure was rediscovered, leading to the complete classification of the building as a historic monument in 1921.

The church was the subject of two separate protections: the bell tower was classified on 20 July 1908, followed by the entire building on 19 March 1921. Its architecture combines Gothic elements, such as the sexpartite vaults of the choir, and later arrangements, such as the organ stand and the stucco decor of the choir. The carved crows of the frame, bearing traces of polychromy, bear witness to its rich artistic past. Today, the church remains a remarkable example of the Languedoc religious heritage, marked by its Dominican history and architectural transformations.

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