In the heart of the Périgord Noir region, Belvès, a medieval town fortified in the 11th century, was nicknamed “the Pope's town.”
The medieval town with its seven bell towers, which was not spared from invasions and wars, has miraculously preserved magnificent traces of its architectural heritage.
Under the protection of Pope Clement, it experienced a turbulent history, the remains of which can still be seen today.
Ramparts, the Auditeur tower, the bell tower, the town hall tower, the former bell tower of the Convent of the Preaching Friars, the Hospital tower, but also a hotel with a Renaissance façade, a castle with a 12th-century keep, the former Consuls' house, the wood market, and troglodytic dwellings are all sights worth seeing and well worth a detour.
Not to mention the Church of Notre-Dame de L'Assomption, also known as Notre-Dame de Montcuq, whose original construction dates back to 830 in the form of a Benedictine abbey.
This was during the reign of Louis the Pious.
After many vicissitudes, renovations, and reconstruction, the church has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1948 and was classified as a Historic Monument in 2000.
A Gothic building constructed on the site of a former Benedictine monastery, with a narthex supporting the bell tower (15th century) and a 13th-century choir and chapels. Interior restoration work has revealed exceptional murals from the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
An astonishing discovery... truly astonishing.
In 1907, in the heart of the village, at the corner of the market hall, the road gave way under the wheel of a cart... Long forgotten and even erased from collective memory, it was through a minor accident that the troglodyte dwellings of Belvès were rediscovered. Today, these eight underground dwellings, still hidden beneath the market hall, are a real tourist attraction and can be visited on guided tours organized throughout the year.
Troglodyte dwellings of Belvès
24170 Pays de Belvès
Tel.: +33 (0)5 53 29 10 20
https://www.vallee-dordogne.com/dordogne/belves
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