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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Martial de Mels, located in the hamlet of Mels on the commune of Sainte-Geneviève-sur-Argence (Aveyron, Occitanie region), is a religious building built mainly in the 15th century. However, it retains older elements, such as gargoyles and re-used parts dating back to the 12th century, bearing witness to an earlier building. This place was originally the church of a priory, attached to the commune of Orlhaguet in 1790, thus marking its historical importance in the local religious organization.

The architecture of the chapel is distinguished by a unique nave completed by a three-sided apse, typical of medieval buildings. Its sober facade consists of a blind wall surmounted by a two-archcaded campanile-peigne, sheltered by a roof. The side entrance, framed by a foothill, is surmounted by a sculpted face of Christ. Inside, we find grain measurements dated 1576, as well as a remarkable retable composed of two elements of the 15th and 16th centuries. Among the 18 paintings of this altarpiece, one depicts a rare scene of Christ's resurrection.

The chapel was listed as historic monuments by order of 5 March 1928, thus recognizing its heritage value. Today it is owned by the municipality and retains traces of its monastic past and its role in local life, while offering an architectural witness to the stylistic evolutions between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Available sources, including Wikipedia and Monumentum, confirm its status as a protected monument and its anchor in the territory of the Argences-en-Aubrac.

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