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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Étienne des Landes, located in the Dordogne department, in the commune of Villefranche-du-Périgord, is a religious building built in the 11th or early 12th century. It embodies the Romanesque architecture typical of the region, with an un arched rectangular nave and a choir ending in semicircular apse. Its modest dimensions (4.05 m wide nave) and its triumphal arch based on bevelled impostes reflect medieval construction techniques.

Between the end of the 15th century and the middle of the 16th century, the church was enriched with murals, precious fragments of religious art of this period. Later, between the end of the 17th and the end of the 18th century, notable modifications were made: the Romanesque portal was transformed, and the bell tower-wall was rebuilt with a curved profile, illustrating the stylistic evolutions and liturgical needs of later eras. These transformations reflect the continuous adaptation of the building to religious practices and aesthetic tastes.

The church also houses furniture from the 17th and 18th centuries, reflecting the Baroque and classical periods. It has been listed as a historic monument since 15 October 2002 and enjoys heritage protection that underscores its historical and artistic importance. The frescoes of the church were the subject of a study published in 1962 by M. and G. Ponceau in the Bulletin of the Historical and Archaeological Society of the Périgord, attesting to their value in the history of regional art.

The site, located at the so-called Saint-Étienne-des-Landes, is part of a rural landscape characteristic of the Périgord. The former presbytery, attenuated west of the church, recalls the central role of these buildings in the social and religious organization of the countryside. The absence of a vault in the nave and the simplicity of its plan contrast with the richness of painted decorations, offering a contrasting testimony of the resources and priorities of local communities throughout the centuries.

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