Aulnay - Saint-Pierre

"Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay" is a church outside of Aulnay, in the center of an old graveyard. The setting has not changed for centuries. For the pilgrims of the 12th century this church was a major halt - and it still is for all the tourists...

A predecessing church „Saint-Pierre-de-la-Tour“ had been here, that, when the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella got more and more popular, was obviously to small, as Aulnay was conveniently situated between Poitiers and Saintes on the Via Turonensis. A new, larger church was needed, so the place was handed over to the chapter of the cathedral in Poitiers. The canons then probably planned this church, that was erected from about 1130/1140 on.

"Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay" is a gem of the "style saintongeais". For Peter Strafford ("Romanesque Churches Of France") this is "one of the best examples of late Romanesque architecture in what used to be Aquitaine".

Most damage to the facade was done by the repairs during the 15th century, when the buttresses were built. Here is the right blind arch (pointed!). In the center Christ enthroned flanked by two saints. Traces of colours (red and gold) can still be seen.

The archivolts here have the same kind of "abstract" plant-like decorations, like the archivolts of left blind arch.