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Origin and history

The Priory of Saint John the Evangelist of Trizay, founded in the 11th century by a lord of Tonnay-Charente, was a dependency of the Abbey of the Chair-God. Placed on an eminence dominating the marshes of the Arnoult, it benefited from successive gifts from the local lords, such as the forest of Chafert in 1232 or hunting rights in the 13th century. At its peak, he housed up to twelve monks and extended his influence to the parishes of Marans and Saint-Just.

In the 16th century, the priory passed under the regime of commende, marked by the wars of Religion (1585-1586). Turned into a citadel, it suffered fire and partial destruction, poorly repaired thereafter. In 1698, the prior François-Louis de Polastron, bishop of Lectoure, was the comndataire, but in 1712 only one monk still resided there, finally staying in Tonnay-Charente in front of the state of disrepair. A trial in 1760 revealed a half-damaged church and communal buildings used as stables.

Sold as a national property in 1791, the priory became a farm, while its church, reduced to its bedside, served as a parish until 1843. Ranked a historic monument in 1920, it was restored from 1994 and transformed into a contemporary art centre in 2003. Today, its Romanesque remains — axial chapel, absidioles and 13th century capitular hall — house exhibitions and modern works, such as the stained glass windows of Richard Texier or the sculptures of André Bémant.

The architecture of the priory reveals an original Romanesque church, built on an octagonal, centered plan, inspired by Saint-Michel-d The sculpted capitals (lions, interlaces) and the cul-de-four vaults of the axial chapel (12 m high) bear witness to its faste past. The capitular room, with polylobed arches, and the dormitory of the monks, decorated with 15th century frescoes, complete this remarkable ensemble. The missing cloister left archaeological traces suggesting a gallery on three sides, a rare arrangement.

The site, inscribed in the "Treasures of Saintonge", combines medieval heritage and contemporary creation. Conventual buildings — vaulted cellar, refectory to the murals of the four evangelists — and the graves discovered (XIIIth–XIVth centuries) recall its spiritual and seigneurial role. Since 2003, the art centre has organized temporary exhibitions, bringing together the history of the place with works by international artists such as Kim En Joong or Hassan Massoudy.

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