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Origin and history

The church Sainte-Marie-et-Saint-Pierre de Château-Roussillon is a Romanesque building located on the site of Château-Roussillon, in Perpignan, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. It consists of two adjacent vessels: a narrow northern nave with a disaxed apse, and a larger southern vessel, closed by a larger apse. A gate in the middle of the wall and a bell tower complete the whole. The north and south and west walls date from the 11th century, while the rest of the building is attributed to the 12th century.

The chapel is quoted from 1153, but its construction seems to be earlier, with elements in river pebbles and Roman stones. The cul-de-four apsides are illuminated by axial windows, and the southern gate, preceded by a porch, features a polychromy of red and grey sandstone. Inside, murals depict God the Father surrounded by angels, as well as stencil-painted decorations. The building was listed as a historic monument in 2012.

The church rises at the foot of the tower of Château-Roussillon, the vestige of an ancient medieval castle. Its original design and architectural features make it a rare testimony of Romanesque art in Roussillon. The materials used, such as river pebbles, reflect the local construction techniques of the time. The chapel, with its porch, has been fully protected since its inscription as historical monuments.

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