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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Church of Saint John the Evangelist of Teilhet, located in the Ariège department in Occitanie, is a religious building with a primitive plan dating back to the 12th century, while its characteristic facade, adorned with a bell tower-wall with five arches (three of which house bells), dates from the 14th century. This monument, formerly dependent on the priory of Camon, has been mentioned since 943 as a property of the Abbey of Lagrasse, although its current structure mainly reflects 13th and 14th century elements. The façade, classified as historical monuments in 1955, has a Romanesque porch in the middle of the hangar, an oculus, and figurative modillons (animal and human), while the interior reveals capitals decorated with fantastic creatures and a frieze worn by head-shaped consoles.

The church underwent major changes in the 19th century, including the addition of stained glass windows signed by Louis-Victor Gesta, including those of the bedside and the western rosette bearing the arms of the house of Lévis. A notable architectural feature is the sculpture of a horseman in armor who seems to emerge from the wall, an addition after the Albigois wars. The building, initially a simple rectangular room, was enriched with side chapels and a beef eye on the facade. Today, he sits in the centre of the village, at 283 m above sea level, playing the communal cemetery.

The history of the church is closely linked to that of the region: mentioned in the tenth century, it illustrates the influence of local priories and medieval conflicts, as evidenced by the raised wall above the gate. The renovations of the 19th century, while partially transforming its appearance, preserved Romanesque and Gothic elements, making this place a hybrid example of Ariegian religious art. The partial protection of its façade in 1955 underscores its heritage value, particularly for its bell tower-wall, typical of Occitan religious architecture.

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