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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Julien and Sainte-Basilisse de Barbaira, located in the department of Aude in the Occitanie region, is a religious building whose origins date back to at least the thirteenth century. Mentioned as parish in 1269, it was rebuilt from a pre-existing Romanesque structure, with a single nave initially covered with a frame on diaphragm arches. The works stowed until the 14th century, including the addition of a three-storey square bell tower, characteristic of its geminied bays and carved lamp-ends (human heads, animals, Tetramorph).

In the 16th century, the church was enriched with dogive vaulted side chapels, one dedicated to Our Lady, transformed and enlarged in 1887. The nave, composed of six spans, saw its sanctuary moved eastward after adding a altarpiece in front of the old flat bedside. The double arches of the central spans, dated from the late 14th century, could result from repairs related to the construction of the bell tower. The building, partially classified as Historical Monument in 1948 (clocher, chapels, baptismal fonts, vaults), underwent major restorations in the 19th century, including the vaulting of the nave and sanctuary, replacing the original structure.

The architecture of the church thus combines Romanesque elements (first spans), Gothics (clochers, chapels) and later modifications (19th century vaults). The sculptures, like those of the Tetramorph, and the baptismal fonts testify to its parish and artistic importance. The location in Barbaira, Aude, makes it a representative example of the Languedoc religious heritage, marked by construction phases spanning centuries.

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