Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre - Royan,Nouvelle Aquitaine, France - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

Heritage Hitory source:
The church Saint-Pierre de Royan is the only ancient monument of the city. It also remained the only church in the city until the middle of the 19th century. Its existence is attested since the year 1092. Of Romanesque style, it possessed a nave and a choir, without transept. In the 13th century, the powerful square bell tower was erected, mounted on an ossuary chapel. This steeple will serve to bitter sailors. In the following century, the northern brace is added. During the Wars of Religion, Protestants burn the church. Nave and Romanesque facade are destroyed. The church will be - until today - reduced to the choir and transept of the old building. The entrance will be in the east; a wall is built to close the sanctuary to the west.
Then came the Allied bombing of January 5, 1945 ... which caused very serious damage to the church. Only the steeple and the walls remained. During the reconstruction, the entrance is repositioned to the west while an ossuary crypt is discovered under the belfry.
The church of Saint-Pierre Royan strikes by its austerity, the nakedness of its walls outside and inside. Nothing hides the sober Romanesque architecture embellished with some carved capitals. This page gives many excerpts.

source Patrimoine Hitoire :
L'église Saint-Pierre de Royan est le seul monument ancien de la ville. Elle est aussi restée la seule église de la ville jusqu'au milieu du XIXe siècle. Son existence est attestée dès l'an 1092. De style roman, elle possédait une nef et un chœur, sans transept. Au XIIIe siècle, on érige le puissant clocher carré, monté sur une chapelle ossuaire. Ce clocher va servir d'amer aux marins. Au siècle suivant, on ajoute le croisillon nord. Lors des guerres de Religion, les protestants brûlent l'église. Nef et façade romane sont détruites. L'église sera dès lors - et jusqu'à l'époque actuelle - réduite au chœur et au transept de l'ancien édifice. L'entrée se fera à l'est ; un mur est bâti pour fermer le sanctuaire à l'ouest.
Puis vint le bombardement allié du 5 janvier 1945... qui causa de très importants dommages à l'église. Il n'en resta que le clocher et les murs. Lors de la reconstruction, on place à nouveau l'entrée à l'ouest tandis qu'une crypte ossuaire est découverte sous le clocher.
L'église Saint-Pierre de Royan frappe par son austérité, par la nudité de ses murs à l'extérieur et à l'intérieur. Rien ne cache la sobre architecture romane embellie de quelques chapiteaux sculptés. Cette page en donne de nombreux extraits.

Patrimoine Histoire : (visit link)

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1200 Age of Church building determined by?: Other reliable source If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Catholic Street address of Church: 81 bd Georges Clemenceau Royan, Nouvelle Aquitaine France 17200 Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/14/2019 sara et gege visited it