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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Saint-Paul-Lizonne, located in the Dordogne, finds its origins in the 12th century with the construction of its Romanesque choir, marked by a semi-circular apse surmounted by a defensive tower and a dome on pendants today masked. These elements, such as the narrow bay of the apse or the Romanesque floral decorations of the attic, testify to its defensive role during the Hundred Years War, when the apse was fortified by a blind bahut. The medieval texts mention it from 1365 under the name Sanctus Paulus de Lizonna, then in 1399 as Sanctus Paulus de Drone, reflecting its local historical anchor.

The present nave, added in the 17th century (circa 1689), contrasts with the Romanesque style by its magnitude and ceiling in painted panels (11 × 16 m), slightly vaulted. Directed between 1682 and 1689 by Arnaud Paradol, this masterpiece is inspired by the Ravisation of St.Paul of Nicolas Poussin, representing the Trinity, the Virgin, the saints and the four Evangelists in a decor of clouds and Arabics. The ceiling, ranked among the Furniture Objects since 1951, earned the church the Media Pilgrim Award in 2016. The doors of the sacristy, decorated with portraits of St Peter and St Paul (17th century), complete this Baroque ensemble.

The building was later modified: the bell tower was raised in the 17th century, the nave walls were restored in the 19th century (the 1860s on a foothills), and the Romanesque dome was restored between 1876-1877. First listed as a Historic Monument in 1948, the church was classified in 2018, recognizing its heritage value combining medieval heritage and regional Baroque art. Its porch, added at the beginning of the 19th century, and its three southern foothills recall the structural adaptations linked to its turbulent history.

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