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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin de Viam, located in the Corrèze department in New Aquitaine, is a religious building whose origins date back to at least 1000 years. In the 12th century it was the object of a conflict between the priory of Bort and the abbey of Tulle, who disputed its possession. Although the abbey finally won, the priory seized a time by force. The present church, mainly Romanesque, was thoroughly remodeled in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, with Gothic additions such as the dogive vaults and the western gate.

In the 18th century, the collapse of the first span of the nave led to the reconstruction of the portal, dated 1768. The bell tower, characteristic of local architecture, was consolidated in the 19th century, while the stained glass windows, added in the 19th and 20th centuries, complete its present appearance. The church, classified as a historical monument in 1976, preserves remarkable elements such as a semicircular bedside rare in Corrèze, carved modillons, and an 18th century tabernacle. Nearby, Gallo-Roman remains and tombstones recall his old cemetery, moved in 1899.

Architecturally, the church combines Romanesque robustness and Gothic elegance. Its 22-metre nave, flanked by six columns with crowns decorated with foliage, leads to a semicircular choir. The western gate, surmounted by a triangular pediment decorated with human heads and a shell, illustrates the transition between the two styles. The bell tower, with two bells (1581 and 1866), dominates the building, while Gallo-Roman remains, gathered on the south side, testify to the ancient past of the region.

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