Commanderie de Richerenches, Templar Commandery in Richerenches, France.
Commanderie de Richerenches is a Templar settlement featuring sturdy stone buildings with defensive characteristics. The complex includes a large barn with reinforced walls, a fortified chapel, and additional farm buildings arranged around a central courtyard.
The site emerged during the first half of the 12th century when the Templars transformed marshland into productive farmland. It became a significant agricultural center that shaped the development of the Drôme region.
The commandery served as a working center where spiritual life and daily labor coexisted, with the chapel functioning as both a place of worship and a community gathering point. This blend of sacred and practical spaces shows how the Templars organized their settlements around both faith and farming.
The site is easily reached by local roads and offers visitors a marked walking path with historical stopping points to explore. Advance planning is recommended since access and opening times can vary with the season.
The chapel retains medieval defensive features such as arrow slits that reveal how the Templars designed their buildings for both protection and work. This combination of military and agricultural function was typical of Templar commanderies in this region.
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