Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The church Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Bourdalat, located in the Landes department, finds its origins in the fourteenth century with a unique nave with flat bedside. The Wars of Religion (XVI century) and the French Revolution severely damaged the building, requiring major work. The present structure, marked by a prolonged nave of a semicircular apse, includes a later added southern collateral, including a chapel of baptismal fonts to the west and a chapel dedicated to the Virgin in the east, almost entirely rebuilt in 1694. A sacristy, attached to the choir, completes this architectural ensemble.

The 16th century bell tower, the most remarkable element, combines a square shell stone base with an octagonal floor. Unlike the rest of the building, built in heterogeneous apparatus, this bell tower is distinguished by its regular apparatus and its massive foothills. A foreground frame, added in the 19th century, now includes its base. The church, classified as historical monuments in 1998, illustrates the architectural transformations associated with conflicts and local liturgical developments.

The building reflects the historical upheavals of the region: the wars of Religion, which opposed Catholics and Protestants in the South West, left visible traces in its structure. Successive renovations, especially in the 17th century, met both the needs of reparation and adaptation to post-Tridentine religious practices. Today, the church bears witness to this historical stratification, mixing styles and materials throughout the eras.

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