Église Saint-Romain

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

History

The church was part of the diocese of Saintes. Built in the 12th century, it has preserved from its Romanesque origin the nave and its sculptured portal, the choir, the southern part of its chevet and the lower part of the bell tower with vestiges of its small columns. It was remodelled several times, but its most singular transformation concerns the raising of the nave, carried out in the 17th century. Of Latin cross plan, the edifice is composed of a large nave with three bays, the eastern bay opening to the north and south onto two chapels forming a transept, then a choir bay under bell tower terminated by a semi-circular apse. The whole is built of ashlar, with the exception of the chapels and the staircase cage, which are in rubble stone, as well as the parts rebuilt to the north and east of the apse. The elevation of the roof of the nave by means of "merlon" pillars gives the church the appearance of a fortress. The western façade opens by a portal with three moulded rolls, ornated with string courses carved with repetitive geometric elements. The apse preserves from the Romanesque chevet a decoration which superimposes two registers of arcading, the whole being rhythmed vertically by engaged columns and flat pilasters. The bay under the bell tower of the choir is covered with an octagonal dome on squinches, resting on four shafts of three large columns with carved capitals. The apse is vaulted with a cul-de-four vault. The upper parts of the bell tower were doubtless rebuilt in the 17th century, before the raising of the roof of the nave.