Église Saint-Pierre

English translation

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History

Priory-cure dependent on the priory church of the Augustins of Évaux (Creuse) and the archpriestery of Huriel, the church of Saint-Pierre of Montluçon was the seat of the parish of the lower town of Montluçon, created in the 12th century, which also extended over the surrounding countryside. Western facade rebuilt in 1638 (dated) with sculpted portal, formed of two double pilasters surmounted by a triangular pediment with niche and statue. Bell tower of square plan at the base Romanesque, elevated around 1640 with a level of arcades (belfry), crowned by a timber bulb covered with slate. In the interior, sanctuary of Benedictine plan dating essentially from the Romanesque period (12th century); the nave is covered with exposed roof structure from the 16th century. The four pillars of the crossing of the transept, which support the bell tower, were reinforced from the 13th century onwards, hence their cylindrical form. One of them, exposed during the 1960 restoration, shows a cruciform plan. The chevet communicates with the absidioles by chapels of rectangular plan arranged in the 15th century. The arms of the transept and the choir are vaulted in barrel vault; the chevet and absidioles in half-dome; the crossing of the transept is covered with a dome on squinches. The chapel of the Virgin (Saint-Sébastien in the 17th century), to the north of the nave, was rebuilt in 1641. The chapel of the Bonne-Mort, adjacent to the south arm of the transept, dates from the 15th century. [J.-H.-M. Clément, Montluçon et ses richesses d'art, Montluçon, 1932, p. 370-391. − P. Pradel et M. Génermont, Les églises de France. Allier, Paris, 1938, p. 161-162]