La Charité-sur-Loire - Notre-Dame

This was the main portal of the church, that belonged to a Cluniac priory. It was erected between 1059-1107 and was consecrated, when Pope Paschal II visited the priory. The church is important, as it was built parallel to Cluny III - and so has many similarities.

It once was 122 meters long and had a nave and four aisles. There were five portals (like in younger Bourges) and two western towers. One of these towers collapsed already in 1204. Mid of the 16th century the nave got severely damaged by fire

The priory existed upto the French Revolution. Some parts of the ruined church got converted to residential houses, the structure since then serves as a parish church. In 1840 there were plans, to demolish the building, but Prosper Mérimée stepped in - and so saved it. The portal to the very left still has a tympanum.

I had been here first time in April 2006, when I followed the Via Lemovicensis.