Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church Saint-André de Bonnes, classified as a Historic Monument by decree of 11 August 1906, is an emblematic 12th century building located in the village of Bonnes, New Aquitaine. Its bedside, nave and facade date back to this Romanesque period, while its architecture reveals notable peculiarities: the choir is arched in cul-de-four and covered with a slate, and the span under a bell tower houses a trunk dome surmounted by a conical stone arrow. The nave, on the other hand, has an apparent girdle frame, with a long-paned roof covered with slate.

The two side chapels, added in the 13th century, are vaulted with ridges and their roofs, also in slate, adopt long sections with exposed gables. These chapels were restored in 1908, demonstrating efforts to preserve this heritage. The nave, whose five-walled, exposed farmhouse cover may date back to the 15th or early 16th century, illustrates architectural developments over the centuries. Finally, more recent developments, such as the construction of the sacristy in 1865 or the reconstruction of the bell tower in 1895 by the successful bidder Aimé Dumas, complete the complex history of this monument.

The classification of the church in 1906 emphasizes its heritage value, while its communal property guarantees its accessibility. The materials used, such as roof slate or stone for the bell tower arrow, reflect local resources and medieval know-how. The building, open to the visit, remains a major witness to the religious and architectural history of the Poitou-Charentes region, integrated since 2016 in New Aquitaine.

External links