Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Martin-de-Caïx church, located in the hamlet of Caïx on the town of Luzech (Lot), is a Romanesque building whose stylistic capitals evoke those of the church of Cambayrac. These architectural elements, late for Romanesque art, could date from the late twelfth or early thirteenth century. The building, with a single nave and a semicircular apse, was partially modified in the 19th century, notably by the addition of a bell tower and a western facade coated with false apparatus.

The church was listed as historic monuments on 13 January 1993 for its heritage interest, including furniture referenced in the Palissy base. Its interior is characterized by a nave covered in frame, an apse arched in cul-de-four, and a span of choir in broken cradle. Two half-columns divide the nave into three spans. The stained glass windows, made by Henri Gesta in 1924, have been laid and are now exhibited in the western gallery.

The monument illustrates the architectural evolution of the rural churches of Quercy, combining late Romanesque elements and later developments. Its bell tower-peigne and its Gothic door to the ressalt bear witness to functional and aesthetic adaptations over the centuries. The facade, with its false device coating, reflects local practices of restoration in the 19th century, when many churches were redesigned to meet the liturgical needs and aesthetic standards of the time.

External links