Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church Saint-Barthélemy de Rion-des-Landes, located in the Landes department, finds its origins in the 11th century with the construction of a Romanesque chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame on a natural terre. In the 12th–13th century, in a context of Franco-English tensions after the marriage of Alienor d'Aquitaine, it is transformed into a fortress church: a Romanesque portal remains from this period, surrounded by a crenelated 5 meters high enclosure and a defense tower converted into a prison. A bell dating from 1380, the oldest of the Landes, is installed there. The building, rebuilt between the 15th and 16th centuries in Gothic style, incorporates defensive elements such as murderers and a 36-metre bell tower.

During the French Revolution, the church became a symbol of political and religious upheavals. In 1791–93, it hosted the first municipal elections of Rion-des-Landes and was converted into the Temple of Reason (1794) after the suppression of the Catholic cult. The altars, statues and liturgical objects were destroyed, but the 14th century bell and pulpit to be preached (18th century) escaped destruction. The revolutionaries partially requisition the bells for the melting of cannons, but the commune resists by keeping the oldest.

In the 19th century, the church underwent major changes to adapt to population growth. In 1868, architect Gustave Alaux led a major restoration: the bell tower was rebuilt in stone (45 m), a neo-roman porch decorated with pink marbles was added, and symmetrical bottoms were built. The stained glass windows, made by the Bordeaux glass master Isidore Pomes, and the marble altars (1825–68) complete this transformation. In 1847 two new bells were melted, and in 1894 a stand was added. The building, blackened by pollution in the 20th century, was restored in 2005–2009 by the municipality and the association Les Amis de l'Église Saint-Barthélemy.

The architecture of the church combines Romanesque styles (Portail of the 13th century), Gothic styles (Dogive vaults) and Neo-Roman styles (Porche of 1868). The bell tower still houses the listed medieval bell (2003), while the pulpit to be preached (15th century) and the black marble baptismal fonts bear witness to its rich heritage. The excavations revealed earth vases integrated into the walls to improve acoustics, and traces of chimneys used by garrisons during the sieges of the Hundred Years War.

External links