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Origin and history

Saint-Germain d'Auxerre de Sorges church, located in Sorges-et-Ligueux-en-Périgord, is a Romanesque building dating back to the 12th century. It features a bell tower with a dome on the forearm and a rectangular choir, replacing a semicircular primitive apse. Its architecture combines Romanesque elements, such as the western façade juxtaposing Romanesque and Renaissance parts, and Gothic additions, including a 16th century portal in basket cove decorated with allegorical medallions (Youth and Death) and ringing angels.

The church suffered major destruction, especially in 1391 during the bag by the troops of Archambaud VI, Count of Périgord, then during the wars of Religion, where it was looted and probably burned, causing the disappearance of its vaults. A restoration was undertaken in 1641. In the 16th century, the north wall of the nave was pierced by two large arches at third points to create a collateral, while the south wall, with five arches connecting pilasters, was modified. Two large bays were added in the 17th century. The Romanesque bell tower, reinforced perhaps in the 16th century, houses a staircase leading to a chamber of bells that served as a defence room, and another defensive chamber probably existed above the vault of the choir.

The western façade illustrates the superposition of the epochs: a Romanesque portal, full of hangers under a third-point archvolt, coexists with a Renaissance discharge arch. The forearm, supported by four broken roller arches, precedes a rear rectangular choir. The southern elevations of the forearm and choir bear traces of multiple alterations. Under the Romanesque choir, a funeral chamber was identified. The building, registered with the Historical Monuments since 1967, belongs to the commune and bears witness to the architectural and political upheavals of the region, from medieval conflicts to modern restorations.

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