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Church of Our Lady dou Mercadilh of Bazas en Gironde

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine religieux
Eglise gothique

Church of Our Lady dou Mercadilh of Bazas

    Place du Mercadilh
    33430 Bazas
Ownership of a private company; private property
Église Notre-Dame dou Mercadilh de Bazas
Église Notre-Dame dou Mercadilh de Bazas
Crédit photo : Henry Salomé - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Haut Moyen Âge
Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
853
First destruction
fin Xe siècle
Rebuilt by Guimbaud
début XIIIe siècle
Current reconstruction
1577
Protestant Pillage
1793
Sale as a national good
1923
Partial classification of facades
5 juin 2008
Registration historical monument
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The part of the south facade, delimited by a red tint on the plan annexed to the decree: classification by decree of 15 January 1923 - The parts of the south facade and the north façade, and the west façade, bounded by dark grey and dark yellow hues on the plan annexed to the decree: classification by decree of 19 February 1923 - The entire old church, with the exception of the classified parts (Box AB 133, 135, 136, 569 to 571, 589, 590): registration by order of 5 June 2008

Key figures

saint Martial - Legendary Founder Has founded the original church.
Guimbaud - Bishop and Duke of Bazas Rebuilt the church at the end of Xe.

Origin and history

The Church of Our Lady dou Mercadilh of Bazas, founded by Saint Martial, has had a turbulent history. First destroyed in 853, it was rebuilt at the end of the 10th century by Bishop Guimbaud, Duke of Bazas, before being again destroyed and rebuilt at the beginning of the 13th century in its present form. This unique nave building, finished with a polygonal apse, underwent major modifications: the vault was laid in the 14th or 15th centuries, and the structure was rebuilt in the 17th or 18th centuries.

In 1577, the church was looted by Protestants, marking a violent episode of its history. The French Revolution aggravated its decline: sold as a national good in 1793, it was devastated and disused. Today, the interior retains nothing of its original dispositions, and the building, reduced to the state of remains, has been listed as historical monuments since 2008. Some parts of the facades, classified in 1923, still bear witness to its medieval past.

Located on Mercadilh Street, near Bazas Cathedral, this church illustrates the religious and political upheavals of the Gironde. Its architecture, although partially altered, reflects the styles of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, with a unique nave and a polygonal apse. Private property, it remains a symbol of the religious and historical heritage of New Aquitaine, despite its current state of ruins.

External links