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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Sainte-Marie de La Cluse-Haute Church, also known as Saint-Nazaire or Saint-Georges Church, is a Romanesque building located in the Cluses, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. First mentioned in 1198, its construction probably dates back to the 10th century, with repairs in the 11th and 12th centuries. Its interior was changed in the 14th century, when it was sometimes referred to as Saint-Nazaire. The frescoes of the main apse date from the 12th century.

The building features a rectangular plan, with a 14th century western façade in Gothic style, including a bell tower. The portal, also from the 14th century, is framed with white marble from Ceret. Inside, the church consists of three vaulted naves in a cradle, supported by arches in the middle of a hanger. The bedside, built on a wall section, includes a central apse flanked by two apsidioles, while 12th century murals adorn the main apse.

Ranked a historical monument in 1974, the church preserves pre-Roman elements, especially in its original structure dating from the late 10th and early 11th centuries. A vestige of an old porch remains in front of the façade, and an exterior staircase provides access to the roofs and the bell tower. The window groined above the door features a tent decorated with Carolingian interlacings, reflecting the architectural richness of the building.

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