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Origin and history

The church Saint-Julien-et-Sainte-Basilisse d'Azille, located in the Aude department in the Occitanie region, was built in the fourteenth century, probably in its first half. The first written mention of the building dates back to 1351, making it a recent construction during the destructive passage of the Black Prince in 1355, during his ride in Languedoc. Its Gothic Languedoc architecture, typical of the region, is distinguished by its sobriety and robustness, with local stone walls and massive foothills.

The building is characterized by a large square bell tower, located to the west, and a unique nave of 18 meters long, flanked by side chapels integrated between the foothills. A 15th century porch, facing south to protect the entrance of the north wind (cers), completes the whole. Inside, the nave consists of three arched bays of warheads, while the narrower bedside consists of a straight span and a seven-sided apse, both vaulted. The keystone of the apse, carved by Saint Claire, suggests a reconstruction after 1361, the year of the foundation of the convent of the nearby Clares.

The church furniture, mostly from the 18th century, includes remarkable elements such as a polychrome statue of the Virgin with Child from the 14th century, marble baptismal fonts from Caunes, and frescoes from Pauthe dating back to 1874. Among the oldest pieces are a procession cross and a 1688 painting representing a Descent of the Cross. The church also housed a statue of Christ in wrought iron, originally placed on the Place de la Mission, former land of the Monastery of the Clares.

Historically, Azille had two parish churches until 1790: Saint-Julien-et-Sainte-Basilisse and Saint-André (XI century). The first, more recent and larger, served two thirds of the population in 1709, with a parish priest, archpriest and two vicars. Ranked a historical monument in 1912, it bears witness to the architectural and religious evolution of the medieval Languedoc, marked by Syrian influences through the cult of its patron saints, Julien l'Hospitalier (martyr in 313) and Basilisse, whose devotion spread early in the West.

The patron saints of the church, Julien and Basilisse, from Syria, lived in the third and fourth centuries. Julien, nicknamed the hospitaller for his charity, was martyred in 313. Their cult, popularized in Europe, explains the dedication of this church, which survived looting and political upheavals, such as the French Revolution. Today, the building remains a preserved example of the southern Gothic, with scalable patterns (elongated warheads, leafed capitals) and an initial plan including the lateral chapels, built from east to west.

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