Wall paintings of Romanesque churchesDaniel Police
FREN

Home › Themes

The Wars of Religion and fortified churches

The Wars of Religion and fortified churches

THE WARS OF RELIGION AND FORTIFIED CHURCHES

Is this a miniature Azay-le-Rideau built at the Renaissance by a hard up nobleman? The lean-to roof was added much later (19th c.) in place of the bartizans, loopholes and crenellations. I

In fact, beneath this 16th-century shell, is an almost intact 12th-century Romaneqsue church

Romanesque nave and semidomed apse - the transept dates from th 14th century.
Romanesque nave and semidomed apse - the transept dates from th 14th century.

For three centuries, generations of viillagers prayed in this modest Romanesque church, often threatened by wars and epidemics, but enjoying a relative tranquillity.

Then, from the 1540s to 1599 ( Edit de Nantes) - more than four decades - armed conflicts between Protestants (Huguenots) and Catholics caused thousands of victims and countless acts of vandalism. Catholic villages and towns had to organize their defence

he first objectives were, of course, catholic churches and chapels, and the villagers began to fortify them.

(XIIème siècle) - Plan of the Romanesque edifice (12th century)
(XIIème siècle) - Plan of the Romanesque edifice (12th century)

P- for example, a fortified forecourt was added and separated from the nave by a door that was locked and barred in case of emergency. (the dotted line)

Plan showing the fortified avant-corps, separated from the nave (right) by a thick door, which could be barred
Plan showing the fortified avant-corps, separated from the nave (right) by a thick door, which could be barred
The Wars of Religion and fortified churches
An Arquebusier in action (reconstruction)
An Arquebusier in action (reconstruction)

Arquebus loophole in the south hartizan

The entrance was defended by the crossed fire of arquebuses concealed in the two turrets or bartzans. Some loopholes (now obsolete) were still used by individual archers. Moreover, the besieged could hurl all sorts of missiles from the machicolation and crenellation of the façade. (the roof did not exist) - l

The tower was used as a watch tower in the troubled periods of the 15th and 16th centuries
The tower was used as a watch tower in the troubled periods of the 15th and 16th centuries

Church tower surmounted by a "hourd": an overhanging wooden gallery surmounting a tower or a wall. ike its stone equivalent (machicolation) it enabled the besieged to bombard the attackers with all kinds of missiles.

Many villagers had a tower built next to the south wall, which allowed them to see the attackers from afar and to take refuge on the second floor of the tower. The have few openings except one or two loopholes.
Many villagers had a tower built next to the south wall, which allowed them to see the attackers from afar and to take refuge on the second floor of the tower. The have few openings except one or two loopholes.

HOME PAGE