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Origin and history

Saint-Martin de Fronsac Church in Gironde is one of the oldest religious foundations in the department. Its structure is inspired by Carolingian basilicas, suggesting a monastic origin. The flat bedside, pierced by curved windows adorned with rinceaux, and the north facade decorated with semicircular pilasters and zigzag chevrons date from the 11th or 12th century. A local legend even attributes its foundation to Charlemagne, although this claim remains unverifiable.

In the 14th century, a lateral nave dedicated to the Virgin was added to the south, financed according to tradition by Louis XI. This Gothic side is distinguished by its warhead crosses and carved arch keys, one of which represents a priest carrying a lamb. The current vault of the main nave, made of concrete, replaced since the 1950s the old collapsed brick vault, which then destroyed the furniture and altar, saving only the pulpit.

The furniture includes notable pieces such as a marble bentier from an ancient monastic capital, a 17th century carved trunk classified as a Historical Monument, and a wooden pulpit from the same century, work by Pierre Vernet. This pulpit, originally intended for the church of Saint John of Libourne, was offered to Fronsac in 1840. The stained glass windows, dating from the 1870s and 1955s, illustrate local saints and Marian scenes, while the statue of Our Lady of Graces (1462), made of polychrome and gold wood, embodies a major medieval devotion.

Sarcophagi and an ancient cemetery, located under the north slabs, recall the funeral past of the site. An 18th century wrought iron gate separates the choir from the nave, where two golden wooden statues of St.Peter and St.Paul, carved by John Mahay, adorn the walls. The building, inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1925, bears witness to nearly a thousand years of religious and artistic history.

The altar of the Virgin, of Louis XVI style, is surmounted by a wooden altarpiece housing a statue of Saint Joseph. The site also preserves baptismal fonts in the sacristy and modern stained glass windows signed by Francis Chigot, master glassmaker of Limoges. These elements, combined with hybrid architecture, make the church a rare example of superposition of Romanesque, Gothic and classical styles in New Aquitaine.

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