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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Hilaire de Tremolat, located in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is a religious building of Romanesque origin built in the 12th century. His choir, initially vaulted in the style of the period, was rebuilt in the 15th century according to Gothic canons, thus illustrating a significant architectural transition. Surrounded by a cemetery, it is located on the edge of the Rège, a small tributary of the Dordogne, and bears witness to local religious history.

The chapel served as a parish church until 1801, when the church of Saint-Nicolas, formerly reserved for monks, took on this role. Disused, Saint-Hilaire was partially protected as early as 1955 by the inscription of his Romanesque porch, remarkable for its arches in full hangar decorated with geometric motifs and its sculpted capitals. A full listing of the building took place in 2010, recognizing its heritage value.

The porch, a major architectural element, is distinguished by its three arches decorated with saw teeth and diamond tips, supported by columns with worked capitals. These details, along with the crows with human heads, reflect the Romanesque craftsmanship. The bell tower-wall, partially restored later, and a seigneurial chapel added on the right side (now disappeared or integrated) complete this historic complex, property of the commune.

The vault of the choir, redone in the 15th century, introduces cross-sections of Gothic warheads, marking a stylistic evolution. This mixture of periods — novel for the nave and porch, Gothic for the choir — highlights the successive adaptations of the building. The sources, including the Dictionary of Churches of France (1967), confirm its importance in the Aquitaine heritage, while its precise location (5002 Rue de Saint-Hilaire) and its Insee code (24558) anchor its history in the territory.

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