Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Saint-Madeleine de Laurier Church is a Catholic religious building in the hamlet of Laurier, in the commune of Sainte-Colombe-de-Villeneuve, Lot-et-Garonne. Its choir, dating from the 12th century, is representative of the first Romanesque period, with a semicircular apse and defensive elements like flat foothills. The interior features column arches and capitals decorated with smooth leaves and pine apples, characteristic of Romanesque art.

The choir was listed as historic monuments on January 7, 1926, recognizing its heritage value. The nave, rebuilt at the end of the 15th or the beginning of the 16th century, incorporates a north portal in a broken arch moulure, while a side chapel, once vaulted with warheads, was added or modified during this period. In 1833, the church was deemed to be dilapidated, and subsequent changes, such as the enhancement of the bell tower choir covered with a polygonal arrow, marked its evolution.

The murals in trompe l'oeil of the choir, made in the second half of the 19th century, are in addition to the traces of a first layer of painting probably dating from the 17th to the mid 19th century. These elements illustrate the different phases of restoration and beautification of the building, reflecting its local importance throughout the centuries. The site is now owned by the municipality and remains an architectural and historical testimony of the region.

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