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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Pierre de Moëze, located in the Charente-Maritime department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is an emblematic monument whose 14th century bell tower is the oldest vestige. Originally, he was probably attached to a now extinct Gothic church. This bell tower, about fifty metres high, once served as a bitter spot for the sailors of the Gulf of Saintonge, before the shore withdrew. Its role was crucial for navigation in this marshy area, which it still dominates today.

During the religious wars in the 16th century, the municipality of Moëze, which became predominantly Protestant, saw its church destroyed and destroyed, with the exception of the bell tower. The latter, spared, testifies to the violence of this period. The present nave, rebuilt in the eighteenth century, replaces the destroyed medieval building. In 2015, the church was closed for security reasons after the collapse of a false plaster ceiling, first restored in 1998-1999. The works of 2018-2019 remove this ceiling, leaving the structure apparent.

The interior of the church consists of a single nave and a straight bottom side. The choir houses a high altar surmounted by an 18th-century altarpiece, whose painting of 1726 represents a crucifixion. This set, classified in 1985, is completed by a 19th century wooden altar, restored and replaced in 2019. The entrance is surmounted by a stand with a 19th-century organ, restored between 1976 and 1978. A classified Baptistery, surrounded by panelling and topped by a dove, also adjoins the entrance.

Saint Peter's Church has been listed as a historic monument since 15 February 1915. It houses a bell of 1624, classified as movable assets in 2020. These elements underline its historical and religious importance, despite the vicissitudes it has experienced.

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