Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens de Clairac, located in the Lot-et-Garonne department, finds its origins in the eighth century as a Benedictine abbey. Its construction began in the late 11th or early 12th century, with nave fence walls and a northern crusillon still visible today. Similar to the church of Moirax, it was 18 metres wide, with 3.50 metres of lower sides. The destruction began during the Hundred Years' War, where French and English troops ravaged the abbey, leaving only 9 religious in 1453.

In 1530 the abbey was entrusted to Gérard Roussel, a Reformer, appointed by Marguerite de Navarre. Under his successor Geoffroy de Caumont, the monks apostasied in mass in 1565, and the abbey was looted and demolished. Henry of Angoulême, great prior of France, took possession of it before it was attached to the chapter of Saint John of Lateran in 1604, following diplomatic negotiations involving Henry IV and Pope Paul V. The canon Paolo Garganti, sent by the Lateran, then undertook the reconstruction of the facade, the south wall, the bedside and a spiral staircase in the choir.

The French Revolution aggravated the deterioration: the abbey was seized as a national good in 1792 and sold in 1799. In the 19th century, several restoration campaigns took place, notably in 1824 (façade), 1840-1841 (carpent and false vaults by Jean Mounié) and 1863 (façade again). The organ, installed in 1846 by Jules Magen, was restored in 1985 and 2003. The trompe l'oeil decoration of the cul-de-four, probably made in 1936-1937 by Giovanni Carlo Masutti, and the high altar from the abbey of Eysses (installed in 1988) complete the building, inscribed in historical monuments since 1996.

The church preserves Romanesque elements (north wall, absidiole, square bell tower with charter hall) and Gothic additions (northern 15th century chapel). The materials vary between limestone-cut stone for the old parts and stone, bricks and stone mixed for reconstruction. The current plan includes a low-side nave, a flat-side choir and a vaulted northern chapel. The stained glass, furniture and organ reflect successive restorations, from the 17th century to the contemporary era.

External links