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Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Église Saint-Vincent

Salies-de-Béarn, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, registered (inscrit)
Protection
inscrit MH
Extent of protection
Eglise Saint-Vincent : inscription par arrêté du 30 avril 1925
Protection dates
1925/04/30 : inscrit MH
Type
église
Main period of construction
15e siècle, 16e siècle, 17e siècle, 18e siècle
Ownership
propriété de la commune
Commune
Salies-de-Béarn
Département
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Region
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Country
France
Coordinates
43.47240, -0.92475
Mérimée reference
PA00084518

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

3 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1771 map "107 Aire, Orthez." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

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This record on the Ministère de la Culture's POP platform ↗

The Ministère de la Culture's notice

L'église date vraisemblablement de la fin du 15e siècle et est l'un des rares exemples en Béarn d'architecture française de la fin du Moyen Age. Pendant les guerres de Religion, l'église servit de citadelle aux divers partis. Pour compléter sa défense, un bâtiment collatéral fut ajouté au sud de l'église, devenue temple calviniste. Ce bâtiment avait servi d'Arsenal, de citadelle et de défense aux habitants contre un siège ennemi. Sur la hauteur du mur étaient rangées des lucarnes par où les assiégés pouvaient pointer leurs armes. Quatre autres dirigées vers le grand portail paraissaient destinées à repousser les assaillants. Deux guérites furent construites en maçonnerie pour y loger des sentinelles. La partie extérieure du temple était particulièrement fortifiée et ceinte de grosses murailles indépendamment de celles de la ville. Elles servaient à garantir le bâtiment, de même que la tour construite du côté ouest. L'édifice a été restauré au début du 17e siècle, à la reprise du culte vers 1620.

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

The church dates presumably from the end of the 15th century and is one of the rare examples in Béarn of French architecture of the end of the Middle Ages. During the Wars of Religion, the church served as a citadel for the various parties. To complete its defence, a collatral building was added to the south of the church, which had become a Calvinist temple. This building had served as an Arsenal, a citadel and as a defence for the inhabitants against an enemy siege. On the height of the wall dormers were arranged through which the besieged could point their weapons. Four others directed towards the great portal appeared intended to repel the attackers. Two guard-boxes were constructed in masonry to lodge sentries. The outer part of the temple was particularly fortified and surrounded by thick walls independent of those of the town. They served to guarantee the building, as did the tower constructed on the west side. The building was restored in the early 17th century, at the resumption of worship around 1620.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Base Mérimée, Ministère de la Culture, data last updated 2026-09-17, reused under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab). Record text is reproduced unchanged. Ministère de la Culture · Licence Ouverte 2.0
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