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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin de Sorèze has its origins in the history of the abbey of Sainte-Marie-de-la-Sagne, founded in the ninth century in a marshy area near the castrum of Verdun. The first mention of the church dates back to 1120, in a papal bubble confirming the possessions of the abbey. At that time, the fortified village of Berniquaut, co-seigneurie of Trencavel and Abbé de Sorèze, dominated the area before being abandoned for the benefit of the lower town around the abbey. The early church, probably located at the site of the current Gothic building, was surrounded by a cemetery still used in the 18th century.

The construction of the present Gothic church, although poorly dated, is associated with the postwar prosperity of Hundred Years. A side chapel was mentioned in 1508 and a bell was installed in 1512, marking the completion of the works. The bell tower, flamboyant style with Renaissance influences (putti, fantastic animals), surmounts a fortified heptagonal bedside, equipped with mâchicoulis and a crenellated round path. These defensive elements reflect the tensions of the time, especially during the Wars of Religion.

In 1573, the Protestants almost completely destroyed the church during Sorèze's second bag, saving only the bell tower and apse. These remains, restored several times (XIXth century, 1937–1939, 1941), bear witness to late medieval architecture. The bell tower, classified as a Historical Monument in 1879, still dominates the landscape. The foundations of the nave, occupied by a cemetery and then destroyed in 1773 to break through a street, disappeared, leaving only this emblematic remorse.

Successive restorations (roof in 1717, 1887, 1902–1906) and the addition of crenelages in the 20th century preserved this heritage. The bedside, built of limestone, granite and shale, preserves a vault of warheads and carved capitals combining flamboyant and Renaissance motifs. The church, originally parish, illustrates the architectural evolution and religious conflicts that marked Tarn and Occitanie.

Today, the bell tower of Saint-Martin, a departmental property, remains a symbol of the resilience of the local heritage. Its screw staircase, flamboyant filling bays and slate polygonal arrow make it a rare example of both religious and defensive buildings, reflecting the historical upheavals of the region since the Middle Ages.

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