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Origin and history

The Saint-Jean-Baptiste church of Saint-Aignan, located in Tarn-et-Garonne, was ruined during the Hundred Years War before being rebuilt between 1515 and 1530 in a sober Gothic style, entirely made of bricks. It replaces an old chapel linked to the convent of the order of Fontevrault, some of which remains. The building, without carved ornaments, consists of a unique nave flanked by side chapels, with a Gothic gate to the north. Its characteristic bell tower, in the shape of an openwork gable on three floors, houses the bells and is accompanied by a circular turret containing a spiral staircase.

Major repairs were probably carried out after 1623, during which time the bell tower was reconstructed or substantially remodeled. Two side chapels were added between 1580 and 1620, and the church kept elements of the furniture of the priory fontevrist, disappeared during the Revolution. In the 19th century, clean-up work and restoration of stained glass windows (led by Jean-Dominique Fleury in 1987) allowed its preservation. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1979, it now belongs to the municipality and is visited on request.

The church architecture reflects a transition between late Gothic and Renaissance influences, marked by the exclusive use of brick and a clean decoration. Its bell tower, a rare example of openwork brick structure, bears witness to local know-how. The casturist remains recall its link to this influential religious order in Occitanie, while the 17th century repairs illustrate post-conflict reconstruction efforts.

The location of Saint-Aignan, in Terres des Confluences, places the church at the crossroads of cultural influences between Quercy and Gascogne. Its history reflects regional upheavals, from the Hundred Years' War to post-Revolution changes, while maintaining a unique architectural identity. Today, it is an active heritage, open to the public during summer events or by reservation.

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