Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Chaplainry Gate in Charroux, dated from the 13th and 15th centuries, is a typical example of medieval civil and religious architecture. It is distinguished by its arched passage of ribbed ridges, flanked by arches with three rows of harpsets resting on half-columns with capitals adorned with hooks. A broken arched door, framed with columns, pierces the passage, while each facade is illuminated by a window of the early sixteenth century, one of which is surmounted by a shield. These elements reflect the stylistic evolutions between the primitive Gothic and the nascent Renaissance.

Above the door, a room houses a 15th century fireplace, also decorated with columnettes and a moulure coat. Its tympanum, adorned with an arch and an armored shield, suggests a use linked to a noble institution or family. Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 12 April 1927, this door illustrates the role of medieval chaplainries, often associated with religious or hospital establishments, in welcoming pilgrims and the poor. Its state of conservation and architectural details make it a valuable testimony to local history.

The location of the Porte de l'Amôterie, at 5 Rue Saint-Sulpice in Charroux (code Insee 86061), in the former Poitou-Charentes region, now integrated into the New Aquitaine, highlights its anchoring in a territory marked by Romanesque and Gothic heritage. The modifications made in the 16th century, like the windows, reveal an adaptation to the new aesthetic cannons, while preserving the original structure. The absence of sources detailing its exact use allows questions about its daily functioning, typical of medieval civil monuments whose archives are often fragmentary.

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