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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Saturnin de la Libarde, located in Bourg en Gironde, dates from the second half of the 11th century. Today, only remains remain, including an intact crypt and the foundations of the building. This crypt, modified in the 12th century, is a rare example in Gironde, with only three other crypts known in the department. It probably replaces a Carolingian temple or Gallo-Roman chapel, as evidenced by the archaeological remains (Roman bricks, marble fragments) and the primitive structure in small rubble.

The early church, of basilical style, had a central nave flanked by vaulted lower sides in cradle, opening onto an apse in cul-de-four. A fire before the end of the 11th century partially destroyed the building, requiring reconstruction with interior foothills and a division into three naves. The crypt, accessible by two arches (today partially blocked), served as a base for the upper sanctuary, sheltering three altars. Its plan includes a central nave and two collaterals, vaulted in the middle of the hangar, with a semicircular apse added in the 12th century.

The crypt preserves 23 sculpted capitals of two distinct epochs: 18 of Carolingian or Gallo-Roman origin (plant motifs, mouldings) and 5 of Romanesque style (XII century, interlaces, evil figures). The lintel of the entrance door, decorated with interlaces, and the capitals of the triumphal arch (palmettes, crossettes) illustrate this stylistic transition. The original polychrome frescoes, covering walls and vaults, were later covered. Use stones (including a Corinthian marble capital) suggest an earlier occupation, perhaps a Gallo-Roman villa of the 6th century.

The church, mentioned in the Roles Gascons and the archives of the Archdiocese of Bordeaux, was razed in 1823, but its crypt was rediscovered around 1840 thanks to the reports of M. de Lamothe, Grellet-Balguerie and Chasteigner. Ranked a historic monument in 1965, it attests to the religious importance of the site, formerly an independent parish until the Revolution. The remains, including the enclosures of the cemetery, offer a unique testimony of pre-Roman and Romanesque architecture in Aquitaine.

The excavations and archives reveal a complex history: the church was burned before the 12th century, then rebuilt with major modifications (voûts, elevation of the ground). The Carolingian capitals, with geometric or vegetal motifs, recall those of the priory of Saint-Macaire or of the church of Cestas, linked to pagan temples. The crypt, initially with a straight bedside, was enlarged by an apse arched in cul-de-four, while the narrow windows (innerly flared) betray successive changes. A liturgical pool remains in the sanctuary, highlighting its continued religious use.

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