Prieuré fortifié

English translation

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History

The priory of Grazac, of the diocese of Le Puy, was placed under the obedience of Cluny. In the 15th century, the buildings consisted of four wings surrounded by a ditch, with the church in the centre. In the 16th century, during the Wars of Religion, the convent was transformed into a stronghold by the Leaguers who held garrison there in 1592. The building had to be considerably remodelled. After the triumph of Henri IV, Grazac was sacked and partly destroyed. In 1648, Adrien Chapot resumed the parish. After the filling in of the ditches, the fortified convent was transformed. Of approximately rectangular plan, the priory is attached to the south of the west façade of the church. A row of consoles crowns the west and south façades. Formed of superimposed corbels, in quarter-round and surmounted by a projecting band, these consoles, interspersed with machicolations, are topped with a parapet resting on lintels. They ensured continuous defence of all the external faces of the old convent. On the first floor remains a monumental stone fireplace, whose uprights are formed of engaged columns with drums resting on a prismatic base and surmounted by a cubic abacus serving to support the rest of the mantel.