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Origin and history

The Church of Saint-Martin de Landiras, located in the Gironde department in New Aquitaine, is a religious monument whose origins date back to at least the eleventh century. The current building, from plan to Latin cross, was built at the end of the 12th or early 13th century in stone, with a single nave, a transept and a semicircular apse. It underwent several major transformations, including the addition of a north side of the 16th century, the construction of a bell tower in 1765, and the addition of a south side between 1838 and 1839 to respond to population growth. The brick vaults, added in the 19th century, modernized the interior.

The church is marked by a rich carved decoration, typical of the transition between Romanesque and Gothic styles. The southern absidiole modillons, dating from the late 12th or early 13th century, illustrate geometrical and moral themes, while the capitals of the abside and transept present various patterns, ranging from animal representations (lions, birds) to biblical scenes, such as Daniel in the lions' den. In 2006-2007, 14th century murals, illustrating the work of the months, were restored in the north transept, revealing a rare iconographic heritage.

Classified as a historical monument by stages (veget in 1907, transept in 1984, total inscription in 2004), the church also houses remarkable furniture, including 19th-century stained glass windows signed by Joseph Villiet, golden wooden statues, and historic bells, such as that of 1654. Its history also reflects local upheavals, such as the disappearance of the neighboring parishes of Brax and Saint-Martin-de-Lassats, decimated by the plague in the 16th century, whose faithful were attached to Landiras. Today, the building remains a major testimony of aquitaine religious art, mixing medieval heritage and subsequent architectural developments.

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