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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The church Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativity de Beaupouyet is a Catholic religious building located in the village of Beaupouyet, Dordogne (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). Built in the 12th century, it illustrates the Romanesque architecture of the region, with subsequent changes, especially in the 18th century for the roof of the choir. His historic name S. Maria de Belpojet, attested as early as 1197, emphasizes his seniority and his connection to the local Marian devotion.

The building, in the shape of a Latin cross, is distinguished by its unique bell tower-wall with campanary bay and its three-span nave. The choir, the oldest part, preserved its Romanesque archatures adorned with capitals, despite the modification of its roof at the Mansart. A sacristy, added later, extends the north transept, while the western gate dominates the entrance.

Partially classified as historical monuments in 1948 for its Romanesque choir, the church remains a testimony of medieval religious art in Périgord. Its location, on the eastern edge of the village and attributing to the cemetery, reinforces its central role in community life, both spiritual and memorial.

The 18th century transformations, such as the recast roof, reflect architectural adaptations related to liturgical evolutions or structural needs. Today, the church continues to embody the Romanesque heritage of the Dordogne, between preservation and cultural use.

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