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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Saint-Pierre de Laussou Church is a religious building of Romanesque architecture, built in the 12th century in the village of Laussou, Lot-et-Garonne. The nave was partially rebuilt in the 13th century, while the bell tower-wall was redesigned in a Gothic style. This monument thus illustrates the transition between the Romanesque and Gothic periods, typical of the rural churches of the South West.

The interior walls of the choir and nave are decorated with archatures in the middle of the hangar, characteristic of Romanesque art. A wet-painted decor, made in the early 16th century, covers all the walls, using only yellow and red ochres. These frescoes, though modest in their palette, testify to the local artistic vitality during the Renaissance. Unfortunately, the roof of the building collapsed in the 1950s, requiring preservation work.

The church was listed as a historic monument in 1994, and was classified in 2006, recognizing its heritage value. The soil and basement of the former adjacent cemetery are also protected. Owned by the commune, it embodies the religious and architectural history of the region, from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

Historical sources, such as the works of Georges Tholin (1874) or the studies of the Monpazier Archaeological Group (2011), underline its importance in the cultural landscape of the Agenas. The murals, in particular, were thoroughly analysed, revealing their connection with the local artistic traditions of the late Middle Ages.

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