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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of St.Martin of Lasserre, dated the 12th century, is attributed to the order of Malta and depended on the command of Morlaas. It served as a refuge for pilgrims on the roads of Compostela. Its simple architecture, with a unique nave and a flat bedside, reflects its spiritual and protective role. The adjacent cemetery, surrounded by a fortified enclosure, preserves a door in the middle of a hanger decorated with carved heads, vestige of its medieval defensive system.

The western façade, later modified, has a quadrangular bell. Defensive elements such as mâchicoulis and threshing stones, partially visible, testify to the disturbances in Béarn. The main gate, in a full oric arch, is decorated with the monogram of Christ and a cross of Malta, symbol of its affiliation. Inside, a painted wooden ceiling and a 14th century rustic stand complete the whole.

The building underwent partial reconstructions in 1472 (date on the south gate) and in the 16th century, followed by restorations in the 18th century. Classified as a Historical Monument in 1987, the church and its cemetery portal illustrate the religious and military heritage of the medieval Béarn, between pilgrimage and territorial protection.

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