Église Saint-Saturnin

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

History

Before 1789, Saint-Saturnin was the seat of a seigneurial justice coming under the jurisdiction of the seneschalsy of Auvergne. The building comprises a nave opening to the north onto three lateral chapels, to the south onto a porch and a chapel; a transept whose arms are hollowed with a niche in absidiole form; a polygonal choir. Transept, choir, eastern part of the southern gutter, of the 12th century. Nave, south chapel, porch and third north chapel of the 15th century. The first two north chapels, the bell tower and its stair turret date from the 19th century. The triumphal arch is received on engaged columns by the intermediary of capitals with carved baskets. The square of the transept is covered with a dome on hollowed squinches in cul-de-four form. This square of the transept opens onto aisles vaulted with a transverse pointed barrel vault. Each of these aisles opens to the east, by a round-arch, onto a small semi-circular absidiole hollowed out as a niche in the wall. The arches of communication from the square to these aisles rest by the intermediary of capitals with carved baskets. The choir, of five cut sides, is covered with a cul-de-four vault, supported on an arcading formed of five round arches received on small columns whose capitals likewise have decorated baskets. On the exterior, the porch is covered with a rib vault resting, from a circular key charged with the monogram of Christ, on masks or simple corbels. The cornice is ornamented with original carved modillions (fantastic animals, monsters, bifid siren...).