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Origin and history

The Saint-Martin church of Aujargues, located in the Gard department in the Occitanie region, was built between 1686 and 1689 to replace a building ruined by the Wars of Religion. His auction took place in Sommières on 5 April 1686, entrusted to the nîmes mason Vidal Bosse for 1,000 pounds. This project was in the context of the expansion of Catholic churches after the revocation of the edict of Nantes, in the face of the influx of new parishioners. The reconstruction was rapid, reflecting the urgent needs of the local community.

The architecture of the church combines classical elements of the late 17th century with regional techniques, such as the monspelliensis (alternative stone seats), usually associated with the Romanesque era but exceptionally used here. The facade, sober and harmonious, is decorated with pilasters and surmounted by an arcade bell tower framed by pyramidions. Inside, the unique nave, vaulted on dogive crosses, houses a two-level stand and side chapels. A notable feature is the absence of a structure: the roof rests directly on the vaults, a technique common in the region.

Among the remarkable elements, a mural in Latin indicates that the heart of Louis de Louet de Nogaret, Marquis de Calvisson, was deposited there in 1745 at his request. The bell tower houses a bell of 1701 melted by Dagnac, as well as a clock installed in 1893 by the Jurasian watchmaker Odobey Cadet, still in operation. The stained glass windows, offered by parishioners in the 19th century, adopt a neo-Roman style, while two paintings (a 17th-century Christ on the Cross and an 18th-century Crucifixion) adorn the interior.

The church was listed as historic monuments on 28 December 1984, recognizing its heritage value. Sources also mention unfounded legends, such as the erroneous attribution of its construction to Abbé de Nogaret or to architects Dardaillon and Cubizol, while only Vidal Bosse is attested. These confusions underscore the importance of crossing the archives to establish a precise history of the monument.

Today, the Church of Saint Martin remains an architectural testimony of the religious upheavals of the Great Century, combining community functionality and stylistic heritage. Its preservation allows us to study the local adaptations to the liturgical needs of post-revocation, as well as the persistence of medieval techniques in a baroque construction.

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