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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of St.Martin of Épineuil-le-Fleuriel probably finds its origins at the end of the 12th century, when its nave and western part were erected. This first Romanesque-style building is part of the medieval religious landscape of Berry, a region marked by the construction of many parish churches and castral chapels.

In the 17th century, the church underwent major structural changes. The choir was enlarged to meet the liturgical or demographic needs of the period, while a lantern was added to the top of the tower, a characteristic element of the religious architecture of that period. The proximity of the building to the local castle suggests that it was originally a castral chapel, perhaps to replace the old parish church, demolished at the end of the seventeenth century.

Ranked among the Historical Monuments since 1986, the Church of Saint Martin thus illustrates two major epochs of French architectural history: the Middle Ages, with its austere Romanesque forms, and the modern era, marked by Baroque or classical additions. Its registration in the inventory of protected monuments underlines its heritage importance for the commune of Épineuil-le-Fleuriel and the region Centre-Val de Loire.

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