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Origin and history

The Church of Saint-Martin de Camiac-et-Saint-Denis is a Catholic church built in the twelfth century in the commune of the same name, located in the Gironde department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is part of the Entre-deux-Mers landscape, a natural region between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. In Romanesque style, it is distinguished by a unique nave and a bell tower with two bays, partially masked by a modern construction. Its semicircular apse and transept were resumed in the 19th century, showing late restorations.

The southern portal, of Romanesque origin, has striking stylistic features: two oric windows resting on leafy columns, and an archvolt decorated with checker billets. The key to the arch has two prototypes of wolves or dogs with triangular heads, a motif nicknamed flatheads or beakheads, typical of the Atlantic arch (from Portugal to Ireland). Above the door, two bas-reliefs are embedded in the wall, although their iconography is not detailed in the sources.

The history of the church is marked by the Wars of Religion: located in Huguenot land, it was destroyed in the 15th century, then burned in 1580 before falling apart. Its restoration in the 19th century gave it its current structure, combining Romanesque heritage and modern interventions. Its location, along the D239 departmental road, makes it a landmark in the village of Camiac, south of Espiet.

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