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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Saturnin church of Camarsac, located in the Gironde department in New Aquitaine, is a Catholic building dating back to the 12th century. The apse and choir, the only remains of the primitive Romanesque building, contrast with the nave and western facade, rebuilt in the 13th century in Gothic style. The building is distinguished by its barlong bell tower-wall and a nave with no sideways, complemented by a choir with a span and a pentagonal apse. The interior dimensions reach 16 metres in length, with a width of 6.18 metres and varying heights between the nave (7.90 m) and the choir (6.70 m).

In the 16th century, the apse and choir were enhanced and strengthened during the Wars of Religion, with holes designed for cannons, according to the observations of Leo Drouyn. The western gate, adorned with an archvolt falling over leafy columns, is the only notable carved element. A porch and sacristy were added in the 18th century, while the church, closed after the Revolution of 1789, underwent major restorations in the 19th century, notably after a fire caused by lightning in 1844. The bell, recast in 1920 by the Barbe foundry, and electrification in 1935 mark the last significant transformations.

The interior of the church houses remarkable furniture, including a 17th century golden wooden tabernacle classified as a Historic Monument in 1971. This tabernacle, adorned with Baroque sculptures, represents religious figures such as the Good Shepherd, Saint John the Baptist, and Saint Catherine, the latter also present on a 16th century stained glass window integrated into a modern creation of 2002. The stained glass of the choir, made in 1867 by Émile Thibaud, as well as a 15th century naïve pietà and a 1677 stone pulpit, complete this movable heritage. Outside, three canonial dials from the 12th or 13th century and a cemetery cross, whose carved base dates back to the 12th century, testify to the medieval history of the site.

The successive restorations, carried out notably by the Association for the Restoration and Protection of the Church of Camarsac (A.R.S.E.C.), allowed to preserve architectural elements such as the Romanesque archatures of the apse, released in 1995. The models of the cornice, presenting various styles (abstract, classical, or modern), as well as the incised capitals, illustrate the artistic diversity of the monument. Finally, the paintings of the 19th century, including a Virgin with Child inspired by Simon Vouet, and the external baptismal fonts, now filled, recall the liturgical and cultural evolution of the building throughout the centuries.

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