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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Saint-Étienne d'Argenton Church is a Catholic religious building located in the commune of Argenton, Lot-et-Garonne, New Aquitaine region. It is distinguished by an architecture combining elements of the 12th and 15th or 16th centuries, with a Romanesque portal dating from the 12th century, vestige of its initial construction. The church has been built above an ancient crypt, and its history is marked by major transformations, including the addition of sideways and a complete restoration at the end of the Middle Ages.

The 12th century Romanesque portal, decorated with carved capitals, one of which evokes the fall of Eve, is a remarkable element of the facade. This portal is surmounted by a third-point arcade, framed by two foothills. Inside, the nave, initially unique, was expanded by the addition of two lower sides. The stone cover, supported by a network of arches with carved keys, and the five-sided apse bear witness to the architectural evolution of the monument. The walls of the nave also incorporate ancient cubic stones, reused in medieval construction.

Saint-Étienne Church was listed as a historic monument on December 10, 1957, recognizing its heritage value. The bell tower, a bell tower-wall type, houses two bells. The property of the building belongs to the municipality of Argenton. The historical sources, such as the works of Anne-Marie Labit and Georges Tholin, as well as the references of the Mérimée base, confirm its importance in the religious and architectural heritage of the region.

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