ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH
Church of very old origin of the XIIIth century located in Coutras, remarkable by many aspects
Originally a 13th-century church, Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Coutras is a witness to all the great historical events that have marked the town from Merovingian times (6th century) to the Wars of Religion, including the famous Battle of Coutras on October 20, 1587, between the Protestant army of Henri de Navarre, the future Henri IV, and the Catholic army of the Duc de Joyeuse. The entrails of the Duc de Joyeuse, who died on the battlefield, are said to be buried here. Extensively altered in the 19th century, the building is remarkable for a number of reasons. Firstly, it has preserved its 13th-century cupola, paintings, a fine Louis XVI pulpit from the Saint-Jean church in Libourne and a large wooden Christ who belonged to the Faise abbey. All this furniture, the Stations of the Cross dating from 1920 and the church itself have been listed as a Monument Historique since 2011. Discovered in 1981 alongside the church, Merovingian sarcophagi confirm that Coutras was a wealthy and relatively important town at the time. Some twenty burials were uncovered. The sarcophagi, dated between the5th and 7th centuries, can still be seen inside the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church. On the other hand, the precious jewels they revealed are preserved in the Musée d'Aquitaine in Bordeaux. Good to know: a tour map is available from the Coutras information office.
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