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Origin and history

The Saint-Alban church of Saint-Ouen, located in Saint-Ouen-la-Thène in Charente-Maritime, has its origins in 1031, date of its construction on a promontory overlooking the creek of the Briou. According to a local legend, Charlemagne caused the nearby spring, the Fountain of Charlemagne, to spring up to water his army during the liberation of the Saintonge des Sarrasins. The building, dedicated to Saint Alban de Verulamium, an English martyr of the third century, presents a Romanesque architecture marked by capitals decorated with plant motifs, fantastic animals and grotesque characters.

The church, which has been protected as a historical monument since 1931, has seen a gradual decline: abandoned after the last Mass in 1946, it was invaded by vegetation and lost its bell tower in 1972. Its restoration in the 1980s was led by the Marpen Club in Tusson, with the help of young European volunteers. The choir and bell tower were rebuilt, and the building, though not restored to worship, was preserved and opened to the public. This rescue earned the club several distinctions, including the Prix des chefs-d'œuvre in danger in 1986.

The church is distinguished by its west façade, consisting of two blind bays framed by a three-piece portal, and its bedside adorned with 26 models reproducing erotic scenes, a rare theme for a religious building. Inside, the contemporary stained glass windows, made by Coline Fabre, are alongside the original novel capitals. The building thus illustrates both the local medieval heritage and modern preservation efforts.

The legend of Charlemagne and the Fountain of Charlemagne, although ascribed in oral tradition, adds a mythical dimension to this site. The Briou stream, fed by this source, always crosses the village, recalling the historical link between the landscape and the church. Today, the building bears witness to the commitment of associations to safeguard rural heritage, while remaining a symbol of past and present community life.

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