Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martial de Bazens, located in the Lot-et-Garonne department in New Aquitaine, is a religious building dating back to the fourteenth century. It is closely linked to the nearby castle, with which it shares a common history under the authority of the bishops of Agen from the Middle Ages. The bell tower-porch, adorned with a flamboyant portal and episcopal lacrosse, as well as the right lower side, probably date from the same period as the castle's works, between the late 15th and early 16th century, under the impulse of the bishops della Rovere and Matteo Bandello.

During the Wars of Religion, the church underwent defensive changes, such as the addition of a scauguette on a foothill and a fortified hall above the choir, possibly in 1592 when the Marshal of Matignon defended the village. In the 17th century, a porch was built (1653-1654), followed by repairs in 1778. The bell tower, threatened with ruin, was restored in 1888 by architect Dubarry de Lassale, who lowered it by 9 meters. A hurricane in 1897 damaged the roof, and the stair turret was restored at the end of the 20th century. The church was listed as historical monuments in 1935.

The building houses a set of six glass windows made by the Toulouse master glassmaker Louis-Victor Gesta between 1850 and 1894. These stained glass windows, as well as the remains of the adjacent castle, underline its historic importance as an old residence of the Italian legates in Aquitaine. The present village has developed on the terraces of the old gardens of this episcopal residence, now extinct.

A unique significant vestige of this period, the Church of Saint-Martial illustrates the links between religious power and military architecture, while preserving flamboyant Gothic elements and defensive arrangements characteristic of the conflicts of the sixteenth century. Its designation as historic monuments in 1935 reflects its heritage value, reinforced by its successive restorations and its central role in local history.

External links