Initial construction XIIe siècle (≈ 1250)
Romanesque building with nave, choir and apse.
1340-1400
Fortification of the Church
Fortification of the Church 1340-1400 (≈ 1370)
Flat hair, bell tower and defensive nave.
XVIe siècle
Expansion of the north side
Expansion of the north side XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Added two vaulted spans.
1926
First partial classification
First partial classification 1926 (≈ 1926)
Listed as historical monuments.
27 mars 1944
German hostage shooting
German hostage shooting 27 mars 1944 (≈ 1944)
25 victims near the said place.
17 novembre 2003
Complete classification of the building
Complete classification of the building 17 novembre 2003 (≈ 2003)
Total protection of the church.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The entire church (cad. A 348) : classification by decree of 17 November 2003
Key figures
Information non disponible - No historical character cited
The source text does not mention any actors.
Origin and history
The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption of Sainte-Marie-de-Chignac, built in the 12th century, initially presented a nave without vault of two spans, a choir surmounted by a square bell tower and a semicircular apse. This first state reflected a Romanesque architecture typical of the region, marked by structural simplicity and a central cult vocation in local life.
Between 1340 and 1400, the building underwent major transformations for defensive purposes, reflecting the tensions of the time. The tower is equipped with a defensive floor accessible by a screw staircase. The nave, on the other hand, is reinforced by a defensive level communicating with the bell tower, and the western portal is narrowed. These developments illustrate the adaptation of places of worship in times of insecurity, frequent during the Hundred Years War.
In the 16th century, the church was enlarged by the addition of a north side low to two arched bays, marking an architectural expansion phase and an evolution of liturgical needs. Subsequent restorations in the 18th and 19th centuries focused on preserving the integrity of the building, which had already been classified as historic monuments in 1926 and was fully protected in 2003.
The local historical context is also marked by tragic events during the Second World War. In 1944, guerrillas attacked German forces twice, causing in retaliation the execution of 25 hostages, mainly Jews detained in Limoges and Périgueux prisons. A commemorative stele, originally incomplete, was updated in 2019 to honour all victims, recalling the sometimes painful role of places of memory in rural communities.
Sainte-Marie-de-Chignac, now integrated into the new town of Boulazac Isle Manoire, preserves this church as a major architectural and historical testimony. Its classification in 2003 highlights its heritage value, blending Romanesque heritage, medieval adaptations and renaissant extensions, all anchored in a territory marked by centuries of turbulent history.
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