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Origin and history

Saint Vincent de Canilhac Church, located in Banassac-Canilhac, Lozère, is a medieval Romanesque building marked by a neat limestone and red sandstone architecture. It consists of a main vessel, two vaulted coffers in a full-finth cradle, a flat-side choir, and a south arched apsidiole in a cul-de-four, decorated with capitals carved with flat leaves. Its hors-oeuvre bell tower, covered with a square arrow, and its ancient stonework still preserved, make it a remarkable example of local religious heritage.

Originally considered as the ancient castral chapel of the castle mentioned in the eleventh century, the church is surrounded by an ecclesial enclosure, vestige of a "circle of peace" dating from the year 1000. This detail suggests an occupation prior to its role as a seigneurial chapel. Canilhac, the seat of one of the eight baronies of the Gevaudan in the Middle Ages, saw his church undergo changes in the 14th century (add of a fire) and in the modern era (besides). Damaged during the Wars of Religion, it was restored in the 17th century.

The construction of the nave, southern absidiole and choir probably dates back to the 12th century, while the chapels forming a false transept could date from the same period. The vaulted coffers in cradles were added later, between the late 16th and 17th centuries. The building, which has been fully protected since 2017 (including the cemetery and enclosures), illustrates the architectural and historical evolution of a parish church linked to a medieval seigneury.

The materials used, typical of the region of La Canourgue, and the quality of the construction reflect the importance of Canilhac in medieval Gevaudan. The church, a communal and private property, preserves tangible traces of its past, from the castral origins to religious conflicts, through its central role in community life.

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