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Origin and history

The Saint-Saturnin church of Calvisson, located in the Gard department in the Occitanie region, is a building of Romanesque origin that was profoundly renovated at the end of the 15th century in a Gothic style. The first records of the village date back to 1060 under the name In terminium de Calvitione, while the church was cited as Sanctus-Saturninus de Calvicino in 1114. This priory, with a cloister, was severely damaged during the Wars of Religion in the 16th century, losing some of its architectural elements such as the bell tower and southern side chapels.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the church underwent partial restorations, especially in 1686 for two of its spans. During the Revolution, it was transformed into the Temple of Reason in 1794 before being given to the Protestants, who returned it to the Catholics in 1816. Ranked a historic monument in 1949, it benefited from a vast restoration campaign in 2009, taking over its stained glass windows, Gothic bays, and structures weakened by time, such as lizards of the north wall or eroded stones.

Architecturally, the church combines Romanesque remains (a murated arcade and a curved bay) with a Gothic structure made of cut stone, with a unique nave of 27 meters long and arches with dogive crosses culminating at 14,50 meters. The west facade, adorned with an ogival portal and an oculus, contrasts with the sobriety of the north facade, while the choir houses fragments of Gallo-Roman columns and historic lamp-like asses. The 16th century baptismal fonts and a copy of St.Catherine's mystical wedding (17th century) are among its classified furnishing elements.

The wars of Religion and revolutionary upheavals left indelible traces on the building, whose southern chapels, partially converted into garages in the 20th century, bear witness to successive adaptations. Despite these vicissitudes, recent restorations have preserved its Gothic character and its central role in the religious heritage of the Vaunage, Gard region.

Today, the church of Saint-Saturnin is distinguished by its flat bedside stalls, its 19th-century stained glass windows (atelier Martin d-Avignon), and its 19th-century rebuilt bell tower, housing a bell of 1845. Its inscription in historic monuments and its presentation campaigns make it a symbol of the resilience of the Occitan heritage.

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