Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Jean-Baptiste church of Saint-Jean-Lespinasse, located in the Lot in the Occitanie region, is a religious building whose oldest parts date back to the 12th century, with modifications in the 13th and 15th centuries. Its transept, apse and crypt date from the first half of the 12th century, while subsequent works, notably in the late 12th or early 13th century, marked its architectural evolution. The nave, raised at an indefinite time, and the 15th century murals – discovered in 1990 and restored – bear witness to its rich artistic past. These frescoes, produced by two separate workshops, adorn the choir, the transept and the nave, representing biblical scenes such as the Supper, the Crucifixion or the Annunciation.

The church was initially under episcopal collation, then became a priory united with Cahors in 1363. Its western façade could retain remains of an earlier building, perhaps of the eleventh century, although the masonry reveals three successive states of construction. Ranked a historic monument on December 4, 1913, it also houses an 18th-century funeral liter, whose coat of arms, partially erased, are attributed to the Plas de Tanes family, linked to the Château de Montal. The furniture includes a golden wooden altarpiece, probably from the workshop of the Tournié, sculptors of Gourdon, while its structure combines cutting stone (abside, transept) and irregular apparatus (nef).

The building is distinguished by its vaulted crypt under the choir, its ten Romanesque sculpted capitals, and its various vaults: a broken cradle for the transept, a cul-de-four for the abside, and warheads for the cross and the southern chapel. Covered with flat tiles (except the abside in lauze), the church illustrates medieval stylistic transitions. The 15th century paintings, associated with the vault of the cross and the southern chapel, as well as the west porch, date from this period. A modern restoration campaign highlighted these decorations, highlighting its heritage importance in the Lot.

External links