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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Saint-Quentin de Saint-Quentin-de-Baron Church, located in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is a religious building built in the 12th century. It is initially composed of a single nave completed by a choir and an apse in hemicycle. This monument, typical of Romanesque architecture, is marked by major changes in the 14th and 16th centuries, reflecting the stylistic and defensive evolutions of the period.

In the 14th century, the church was fortified with the addition of a crenellated parapet and archery, meeting the protection needs of the period. The 16th century brought flamboyant Gothic transformations: a west facade with flat buttresses surmounted by a bell tower-pignon, star-shaped vaults in the nave, and the addition of a north side dedicated to Notre Dame, commissioned in 1522 by the Lord of Bisqueytan. These changes enrich the building with defensive and aesthetic elements, while integrating religious and moral symbols.

Inside the church is a treasure of Romanesque art, with unique narrative sculptures and faithful copies of missing models of the Abbey of La Sauve-Major. Among the most important works are the Adoration of the Magi Kings, a bas-relief of the bedside, as well as capitals illustrating biblical scenes such as Daniel in the lions' pit or Saint Michael terrorizing the dragon. These sculptures, often moralizing, reflect the religious and social concerns of the Middle Ages, including the fight against capital sins and deviant behaviour.

The exterior iconography is just as remarkable, with 14 capitals and 26 modillons around the bedside, representing symbols of sin, fantastic animals and allegorical scenes. Some modillons, protected since the 16th century by the roof of the north side, retain traces of medieval painting. These elements, often inspired by the models of La Sauve-Majeure, offer a rare glimpse of girondin Romanesque art and its complex symbolism.

In the 17th century, a sacristy was added against the bedside and rebuilt in 1903 before being demolished in 2007. The stained glass windows, made in 1862 by Louis-Victor Gesta, represent religious scenes such as The Baptism of Jesus or The Adoration of the Magi Kings. Sixteenth-century murals, rediscovered under a 19th-century badigeon, commemorate the family of Piis, local lords, and are currently being restored.

Classified as a Historical Monument in 2004, the church of Saint Quentin embodies nearly nine centuries of history, combining defensive architecture, sacred art and sculptural heritage. Its interior and exterior decor, marked by Romanesque and Gothic influences, makes it an exceptional witness to medieval creativity and local piety.

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