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Origin and history

The Protestant temple of Segonzac, built between 1864 and 1866, is an emblematic building of Protestantism in Charente. He succeeded two earlier temples, the first erected in 1607 and destroyed in 1662 during the religious persecutions. This place of worship reflects the historic importance of the Protestant community in the region, especially after the revocation of the edict of Nantes in 1685, during which the faithful met clandestinely in the Desert.

The architect Alphonse Demonieux, originally from Cognac, designs the plans of the current temple, which was inaugurated in 1866. The building is distinguished by its monumentality, with an ordered façade and a pediment decorated with a Bible in bas-relief. Inside, the furniture, including the chair, benches and chandeliers, is fully preserved and designed by Demenieux. The temple was listed as a historic monument in 1998, recognizing its heritage and architectural importance.

The Temple of Segonzac is run by the parish of Cognac, a member of the United Protestant Church of France. It symbolizes the resilience of the local Protestant community, marked by centuries of persecution and reconstruction. The biblical inscriptions on its walls, like "God is Love" (I John IV, 16), recall the founding values of this faith. Today, there remains an active place of worship and memory, testifying to the religious and architectural history of the Charente.

Prior to its construction in the 19th century, Segonzac was already a major Protestant home in Angoumois as early as 1558, with a reformed church founded by Pastor François Gabarre. After the battle of Jarnac in 1569, the region suffered violence, including the installation of dragons in 1711 to suppress Protestants. These events have long marked local history and explain the attachment to this temple, a symbol of religious freedom found.

The building, with a rectangular plan (25 m x 12 m), is built of cut stone by Caillaud d'Angoulême. Its interior, sober and functional, includes a nave with wooden benches, a marble communion table signed Titeux (1868), and a pulpit surmounted by an abat-voix. The engraved Bible verses, such as "The heavens and the earth shall pass away, and my words shall not pass away" (Matthew XXIV, 35), emphasize his spiritual and educational role.

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