St-Pierre Abbey Church (Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne)

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Saint-Pierre Abbey Church, west facade

The former abbey church of Saint-Pierre in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne with its Romanesque tympanum is one of the most impressive medieval sacred buildings in southwest France.

location

Today, the Saint-Pierre church stands in the middle of the village of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne , which has arisen over the centuries around the former abbey, on one of the many byways north of the actual Way of St. James ( Via Podiensis ).

Building history

The first monastery of Beaulieu was founded in the 9th century by the archbishop Raoul von Bourges on a piece of land made available by the vice counts of Turenne ; the vice counts equipped the abbey with relics (St-Prime, St-Félicien, Ste-Félicité) - procured from Rome . Benedictines from Solignac Abbey were the first monks. In the 11th century there were permanent disputes between the Turenne family and the Lords of Castelnau, who appointed the abbot at that time. As a result of the quarrels and the associated decline, the monastery joined the Cluniac reform movement towards the end of the 11th century and in the period that followed - although it was not on any of the main pilgrimage routes - benefited to a large extent from the ever-increasing number of pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela . At the beginning of the 12th century, it was decided to build a new abbey church, which, with its parlor choir , was conceived as a pilgrimage church from the outset . The main parts of the church building were completed towards the end of the 12th century, although individual modifications and additions were made later (e.g. on the west tower).

In the 16th century, at the time of the Huguenot Wars , the monastic customs had already loosened considerably, and the monastery was also neglected in economic terms. The abbey was taken over by the Benedictines of the St-Maur monastery. They reformed them according to the order rule of prayer and work ( ora et labora ) and restored the partially destroyed buildings and facilities. In the course of the French Revolution , the religious were expelled and the monastery was dissolved. The former abbey church was preserved as the parish church of Beaulieu.

architecture

Saint Pierre Abbey in Beaulieu - nave

The second abbey church in Beaulieu is a three-aisled basilica with a transept , ambulatory and radial chapels . Chapels were also built on the east side of the transept, so that monks and pilgrims - in addition to the main altar - had a total of five chapels with the associated altars available for mass.

Nave

The vaults of all three naves of the nave are about the same height, so that one can also speak of a hall church . The central nave has a barrel vault with belt arches, the side aisles have groin vaults . Above the large arcades of the nave find each small double arcades, but a rise of zone or Triforium can not speak it. The crossing is slightly raised and exposed through small window openings; it is closed by a dome.

The high-lying capitals show predominantly vegetal decor.

West facade

As with many churches in the south of France, Beaulieu did not attach great importance to the design of the west facade. A threefold stepped portal zone - without a tympanum - forms the ground floor; above there are three windows of the same size with multiple column surrounds and corresponding archivolts . The upper zone is formed by three large windows, staggered in height, with Gothic tracery elements in their pointed arches . The facade ends with a stepped gable , which, however, was only added in the 19th century. Overall, the west facade leaves an unfinished impression.

The bell tower (clocher) in the south-west corner was only added in the 14th century - i.e. in the Gothic period - which is evident from the many pointed arches in the arcades and the buttresses in the corners of the building. It was raised in 1556 and subsequently served as a watchtower and defense tower .

South porch and tympanum

In contrast, testifies to the resulting 1130/40 south porch with their almost unique figure program of great craftsmanship and artistic mastery of the masons: The huge tympanum (width approx 5.80 m; height about 4.30 m) is in the middle of a Trumeaupfeiler supported; A bestiary pillar could have stood at this point, as in Moissac or formerly in Souillac . The rosettes in the lintel can also be found in Moissac, which is usually dated only a few years earlier and may even have been created by the same stonemasons.

Saint-Pierre Abbey in Beaulieu - tympanum and lintel

The actual theme of the tympanum is unclear: at first glance, one might mistake it for one of the many depictions of the Last Judgment , but it lacks both the Archangel Michael , who usually weighs souls, and the separation of the redeemed and the damned. All resurrected are oriented towards Christ, who lacks any judge attitude; instead he is shown sitting on a throne and with his arms outstretched, which must be understood as an indication of his death on the cross as well as of his all-encompassing, universal claim to power. Behind him angels bring the cross and other instruments of suffering ( Arma Christi ); these things are to be understood as indications of suffering and death on the cross and usually give Christ the authority to exercise his judicial office. Here, however, the theme of the tympanum seems to be more of the presentation of Christ as Majestas on the day of resurrection - an angel with an octagonal crown approaches from above as a further sign of his royal power.

The more than 2 m high figure of Christ itself is - according to medieval significance - the most important figure within the overall scenery and is a testament to anatomical knowledge and observations. She is the only figure in a strict frontal view and the only figure who looks out from the tympanum into the world or is in eye contact with the viewer. On his sides angels blow the fanfares for the resurrection of the dead, who rise from their sarcophagi below . The legs of the twelve apostles left and right of Christ, resting on wave-like clouds and mostly crossed, are a characteristic of the Toulouse school of sculpture in the 12th century. Two apostles are related to each other - so there are several small groups within the extremely lively overall picture.

The door lintel (linteau) is divided into two strips, in the upper one appear four chimeras with dog or bird heads, of which the two outer ones are in the process of inflicting hellish torments on the damned or devouring them. They are supported by the other two monsters, who use their tails, some of which are headed, in a similar way. In the lower zone, against the background of several rosettes of leaves, other hybrid creatures unfurl, including a seven-headed monster from the Apocalypse and a serpentine creature with four heads. All chimeras are not static, but rather in motion, which underlines the liveliness of the entire scene.

The bulge of the inner archivolt seems to be deliberately interrupted in several places, because parts of the representations in the tympanum protrude into these gaps. Otherwise - unlike in neighboring Poitou or in northern France - the archivolts are devoid of any figurative decoration.

The figures in the vestibule of the south vestibule are badly weathered or damaged by pilgrims and other human influences. In addition to the apostles Peter (left) and Paul (right), Cluny's two patrons, Daniel can be found in the lions' den (left) and the temptation of Christ (right).

Choir head

The beautifully staggered choir head with its five chapels of equal size ends in a small octagonal crossing tower that served as a bell tower for centuries. Maybe were Burgundian and / or Auvergnat models instrumental in the planning and design of the chancel.

Abbey building

The former abbey buildings were demolished during the revolution; the stones were sold. Only the 6-bay chapter house from the 13th century, which the monks used to consult on secular matters (use of financial resources, division of monastic work, construction and repair work, etc.) has survived. It shows a beautiful vault made of unprofiled ribs, which - without intervening capitals - seem to grow out of the two masonry columns or the side walls.

See also

On the subject of 'pilgrimage churches' see also:

literature

Web links

Commons : St-Pierre Abbey (Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 44 ° 58 ′ 45.7 "  N , 1 ° 50 ′ 17.6"  E