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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens, located in Noailhac in Corrèze, finds its origins in the 12th century with the construction of a Romanesque apse in red sandstone. This first building, partially destroyed during the Hundred Years' War, was rebuilt in the 15th century under the impetus of the Noailles family, which added a Gothic nave and a characteristic portal. The building, marked by conflicts, was damaged during the French Revolution, then briefly restored in the 19th century, before a flat wall was erected on its west façade in 1905.

The 12th century, polygonal to the outside and circular inside, stands out for its columns with carved capitals and its five windows. The span of the choir, adorned with half-columns with characters, contrasts with the transept and nave of the 15th century, vaulted with veined ridges and armed keys. Originally, the church was integrated into a castle belonging to the Noailles, whose defensive elements remain such as the machicoulis of the abside and the niches of the bell tower. Ranked a historic monument in 1923, it reflects the architectural transformations and political challenges of the region.

The rare arrangement of the church, with its missing stands and scauguette, reflects its past linked to the adjacent castle. The two floors of stands, illuminated by 16th-century windows, were surmounted by a gable roof, while the schauguette, accessible by a round road, provided the defence of the southeast corner. Although the castle was demolished at the end of the 19th century, these remains recall the strategic importance of the site, controlled by the powerful family of Noailles, whose lasting influence marked the local heritage.

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