Sioniac
Commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sioniac (French pronunciation: [sjɔnjak]; Occitan: Seunhac) is a commune in the Corrèze department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France.[3]
Sioniac | |
|---|---|
.svg) Coat of arms | |
 Location of Sioniac | |
  Sioniac  Sioniac | |
| Coordinates: 44°58′32″N 1°48′47″E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
| Department | Corrèze |
| Arrondissement | Brive-la-Gaillarde |
| Canton | Midi Corrézien |
| Intercommunality | Midi Corrézien |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Laurent Puyjalon[1] |
Area 1 | 10.6 km2 (4.1 sq mi) |
| Population (2023)[2] | 246 |
| • Density | 23.2/km2 (60.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 19260 /19120 |
| Elevation | 193–387 m (633–1,270 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Toponymy
The origin of the Sioniac's name today has evolved over time. From records, it is first recorded as Siuiniacum during the 9th century, the suffice -acum being Latin for the property of the man Sivinius.[4]: 120 It is later recorded as Siviniaco vico and Siviniacus in 859 and by 1315 as Seunhac in Occitan.[4]: 120
History
Prior to the 9th Century, little is known about the origins of Sioniac but when Rodoulf, Archbishop of Bourges established a monastery down the hill at Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, he gave the church of Saint-Saturnin at Sioniac in May 859 to the newly established monks.[5] In June 859, Rudolf obtained a charter from King Charles the Bald to establish a market in Sioniac.[5] This market remained the main market for Beaulieu until the medieval period.[5] Other sources say the market could be older as the village was positioned on an ancient north-south trading route between Puy-d'Arnac and Quercy.
Geography
Sioniac lies in the southernmost part of the Corrèze department, near the river Dordogne. It is part of the functional area of Biars-sur-Cère and Saint-Céré.[3]
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 221 | — |
| 1975 | 187 | −2.36% |
| 1982 | 190 | +0.23% |
| 1990 | 199 | +0.58% |
| 1999 | 207 | +0.44% |
| 2007 | 240 | +1.87% |
| 2012 | 243 | +0.25% |
| 2017 | 220 | −1.97% |
| 2023 | 246 | +1.88% |
| Source: INSEE[6] | ||
Local culture and heritage
Religious buildings
Eglise Saint-Saturnin
An older church served the area prior to the formation of the abbey at Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.[7] The current church was built in the 11th century, with later additions from the 12th, 15th and 17th centuries.[7] It's a small Romanesque church with single nave with the first span a barrel vault while the other three consist of rib vaults.[7] There are six semi-round columns with buried bases that have curved volute capitals at their tops and support double arches.[7] Eight recessed columns with rebated capitals support the diagonal arches.[7] It has a tall pointed gable bell tower dates which from the 15th century.[7] It became a Historical Monument of France on 16 September 1949.[7]
Other buildings
Manoir de Doumazac
Now a private property, was an old hunting lodge of the Lords of d'Estresse.[8]: 95 It was built in the 13th century and extensions added in the 16th century.[9]
