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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint Martin church of Aix, located on the Aix Island in New Aquitaine, dates from the 11th and 12th centuries. This historic monument is distinguished by its transept, whose western part of the cross-section houses the main entrance. An apsidiole opens on the north arm of the transept, while remains of an ancient apse dominate the crypt. The nave, now extinct, was demolished at an indefinite time.

In the heart of the transept, a staircase leads to the 11th century crypt, composed of three spans in each direction and ending with a semicircular apse. Vaulted with small ridges in rubble, it rests on columns with capitals carved from water leaves. Four central columns, now removed with their capitals, once supported the structure. The bays in the middle of the cliff, once visible, are now masked by the rise of the urban soil.

The coats of the crypt keep traces of murals, testimonies of its original decoration. The church, classified as Historical Monument by decree of 8 December 1970, includes in its protection the crypt and its architectural elements. A communal property, it illustrates the Romanesque heritage of the region, marked by typical construction techniques and sculptural motifs.

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