Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Church of Saint Martin of Argentina came into being in the 11th century, when it established a religious community that gradually evolved into a small abbey. Today, only the vestiges of the church remain, the convent buildings having disappeared. The building retains a span of choir and a bell tower dating from this early period, while the semicircular choir was enlarged and vaulted in cul-de-four in the 12th century. These transformations reflect the expansion of the community and the adaptation to the liturgical needs of the time.

In the 15th century, the church underwent a new phase of work with the enlargement of the nave and the addition of a north side. These changes, typical of late Gothic architecture, were aimed at welcoming more faithful. The 17th century marked the layout of the high altar in the middle span of the lower side, completing the major structural transformations. The building, built of cut stones and covered with canal tiles, illustrates the mastery of medieval and post-medieval techniques.

Ranked a historical monument in 1974, the church of Saint Martin is distinguished by its remarkable state of conservation, despite the disappearance of the abbey buildings. Its history reflects the religious, architectural and social evolutions of the Dordogne, from the Romanesque period to the modern period. The property of the municipality now makes it an accessible local heritage, although practical information on visits remains limited in available sources.

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