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Origin and history

The Saint Lawrence Church, located in Sainte-Soulle in Charente-Maritime, is a Catholic building dedicated to the Christian martyr Saint Laurent. Its construction took place mainly between the 12th and 16th centuries, in the former province of Aunis. The present building consists of a Romanesque nave to the west (XIII century), separated by a partially 11th century transept, and a Gothic part of the 16th century, extended by a rectangular choir. The west façade features a four-piece warhead portal, topped by a window in the middle of the hanger and crowned with a modern pediment.

The eastern part of the church suffered major damage during the Hundred Years War, resulting in the reconstruction of the choir in the 15th century. The latter was probably demolished during the Wars of Religion, then raised between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The transept, the oldest element, preserves a square cross with octagonal dome on trunks, decorated with carved capitals. Inside, two squatting atlantes decorate the back of the facade, while a altarpiece of Saint Laurent's martyrdom covers the central walled window of the flat bedside.

Ranked and listed as historical monuments in 1990, the church illustrates medieval architectural evolutions, mixing Romanesque influences (Western gate, capitals) and Gothic (East nave, arcades). Its south-facing staircase and modillons bear witness to its rich sculptural heritage. Historical conflicts, including the Wars of Religion, marked its evolution, as evidenced by the successive reconstructions of the choir.

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