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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin de Souillac, located in the Lot en Occitanie department, is a religious building built in the 16th century. Originally dedicated to Catholic worship, it was desecrated in 1827 and converted into a variety of civilian uses, including town halls and barracks, before becoming an exhibition hall. Its architecture preserves traces of its medieval past, including four spans of the 15th century nave, decorated with ivy vaults and thirdons, as well as a characteristic bell tower.

The bell tower, now transformed into a belfry, dates back to the 16th century and is visible from afar. In 1573, the Protestants set fire to the structure of the church and partially destroyed the north facade and much of the west façade of the bell tower using mines. The latter, a square plan, once served as a porch and housed a screw staircase named Saint-Gilles, allowing access to its four floors. The frame arrow disappeared entirely during this event, but a small frame floor was later added to install a clock.

The building has been classified as historical monuments since 1925, with a special distinction for its belfry, classified as early as 22 April 1925, followed by the old church on 23 June of the same year. Among the remarkable elements are a Romanesque tympanum inlaid above the arcade of the entrance door, as well as a painting of the Virgin with the Child referenced in the Palissy base. Today owned by the commune, the site remains an architectural testimony of the religious conflicts of the sixteenth century and of the evolution of the uses of sacred buildings.

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