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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Church of St.Martin of Vinassan, mentioned from the 9th century under the name Vinacium in a charter of Charles le Chauve, is a 11th century Romanesque building dedicated to Saint Martin de Tours. Its apse, the only vestige of this time, illustrates the Lombard style with its leesenes and arcatures falling on ground crows. Although redesigned, this part retains an axial window opened in the 19th century, surmounted by an adorned cornice.

In the 16th century, the nave suffered a partial collapse, requiring reconstruction. In 1851, the municipality envisaged the addition of a bell tower, which was finally erected in 1887 thanks to the participatory financing of the inhabitants. This neo-Roman bell tower, on four levels, has arches, historical modillons and an orange tile pyramidal roof, becoming a symbol of the village.

Between 1889 and 1895, the church was enlarged: the unique nave of origin gave way to three naves, flanked by absidioles added on both sides of the Romanesque apse, the only part classified as Historic Monument since 1951. The interior houses a marble altar depicting Saint Martin sharing his coat, as well as a carved wooden pulpit and remarkable baptismal fonts.

The Romanesque bedside, made of limestone, rests on a bevelled bahut and presents a sober decoration where the Lombardic bands provide above all a structural function. The transformations of the 19th century, although profoundly modifying the original plan, preserved this medieval architectural testimony, while adapting it to the cultural needs of an expanding community.

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