Eglise Saint-Maurice
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Maurice, located in Léguillac-de-Cercles (Dordogne), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Léguillac-de-Cercles, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.3918, 0.5137
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082611
A Romanesque gem of the Périgord dating from the 12th century, the église Saint-Maurice de Léguillac-de-Cercles combines domes on pendentives and an arcaded bell tower, all enclosed by a medieval wall walk bearing witness to 15th-century fortifications.
History
Nestling in the heart of the Périgord Vert region, in the discreet green setting of Léguillac-de-Cercles, the church of Saint-Maurice is one of those buildings you wouldn't expect to come across on a country road, and yet its humble silhouette is full of architectural surprises. Listed as a Historic Monument since 2013, it is the perfect embodiment of the Périgord Romanesque tradition, with its vast domes on pendentives covering the nave with a grace that is as robust as it is luminous. What really sets Saint-Maurice apart from the many Romanesque churches in the Dordogne is the coherence of its volumes and the legibility of its historical development. Stone by stone, you can read the layers of time: the rigour of the Romanesque style of the 12th century, the military concerns of the 15th century that imposed a parapet walk on corbels, and the restoration work of the 19th century that preserved the whole without altering it. Each architectural element tells the story of an era, a need, a faith. The experience of visiting is one of almost intimate contemplation. The interior, bathed in soft, filtered light, unfolds in a succession of skilfully-articulated volumes: two domes covering the nave, a choir beneath the bell tower, a sanctuary ending in a circular, cross-vaulted chevet. The progression towards the altar is a real invitation to contemplation, where the transitions between spaces are made with a fluidity that is rare for such an ancient building. The exterior setting adds to the charm of the place. The bell tower, with its superimposed blind arcatures characteristic of Périgord Romanesque architecture, combines with the surrounding hedged farmland to create an image of absolute serenity. Photographers in search of golden light at sunset and walkers with a passion for authentic heritage will find it a memorable stop-off, far from the crowds of the great medieval cities.
Architecture
The church of Saint-Maurice belongs squarely to the great family of Périgord Romanesque, that distinctive regional style which, from the 12th century onwards, developed an original architectural solution for covering vast spaces: the dome on pendentives. The single nave of Saint-Maurice has two of these, whose warped keys - slightly offset from the geometric centre - bear witness to a well-honed local construction technique. A noteworthy feature is that the pendentives start directly on the extrados of the arch, a characteristic feature that distinguishes Périgord Romanesque from its Aquitaine and Limousin counterparts. The layout follows a classic east-west axis: a two-bay nave under domes, a chancel integrated under the bell tower, then a sanctuary, the first part of which is covered by a pointed barrel vault, extended by a circular, cross-vaulted chevet, a later addition that elegantly completes the whole. The bell tower, the dominant feature of the exterior composition, is of the type known as "superimposed blind arcatures", very common in Périgord and Saintonge, where rows of decorative arches punctuate the different levels of the tower without necessarily corresponding to actual openings. On the outside, the silhouette of the building bears the scars of its medieval fortification: the corbels cut into the structure of the bell tower indicate the site of a former corbelled walkway, which has now disappeared but is perfectly legible to the trained eye. The materials used are those of the region - Périgord limestone extracted from local quarries - which give the building the warm blond hue so characteristic of the architectural landscapes of the Dordogne.
Related Figures
Saint Maurice — martyr de la Légion thébaine, patron de l'église, dont le culte fut largement diffusé dans le Sud-Ouest médiévalMaître d'œuvre roman anonyme du XIIe siècle — bâtisseur de la nef et des coupoles sur pendentifsSeigneur local du XVe siècle (non identifié) — commanditaire de la fortification et de l'installation du chemin de rondeArchitecte diocésain du XIXe siècle (non identifié) — auteur des travaux de restauration du troisième quart du XIXe siècleAbbés et desservants de la paroisse de Léguillac-de-Cercles — gardiens de l'édifice à travers les siècles
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Maurice located?
Eglise Saint-Maurice is located in Léguillac-de-Cercles, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Maurice built?
Eglise Saint-Maurice dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Maurice open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Maurice is currently closed to visitors.