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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Protestant temple of Châtillon-sur-Loire has its origin in an ancient Romanesque tithe barn, built in the 12th century by Benedictine religious of the local priory. This building, typical of medieval architecture, was originally used to collect tithes, taxes in kind collected by the Church. His acquisition in 1819 marked a turning point: transformed into a Protestant place of worship, he illustrated the adaptive reuse of religious heritage after the French Revolution.

The interior layout of the temple, dated from the first half of the 19th century, reflects Protestant liturgical needs. A podium accessible by a staircase dominates the space, while rows of chairs converge towards a platform supporting the pulpit to be preached. The walls, decorated with tables of Bible verses, and the original furniture — sober and robust — highlight the austerity and functionality of the Reformed temples of the time. The quality of carpentry, almost stripped, reinforces this character.

Ranked Historic Monument by order of 6 July 2012, the building is now owned by the commune of Châtillon-sur-Loire. Its inscription concerns the entire structure (cadastre AC 349-351), thus preserving a rare testimony of the adaptation of a medieval building to a Protestant cult in the 19th century. The location, although documented (9001 Rue Franche), remains of an accuracy considered satisfactory a priori according to the Merimée bases.

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