Abbatiale de l'Abbaye de Vertheuil

The 11th and 12th century abbey church is a fine example of Romanesque art, influenced by the Saintonge and Poitou regions: ambulatory, octagonal tower, superb carved decorations. Open all year. The castle, which was built at the end of the 11th century, has the oldest keep in the region (private estate). The abbey, founded in the 11th century by William VIII of Aquitaine, was home in the 12th century to a community subject to the Order of Saint Augustine. The church was destroyed on a number of occasions (Hundred Years War, wars of religion), and was rebuilt in the 18th century and sold in 1792 as national property. Summer exhibitions of various works.