Perrecy-les-Forges - Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Benoît

The church of the former Priory Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Benoît is now the parish church of the village. I had visited Perrecy-les-Forges some years ago - and this time the church was indeed open!

Charles Martel, grandfather of Charlemagne and leader of the frankish armee in the Battle of Tours (732), gave the Perrecey estate to his brother Childebrand as a gift to thank him for defeating the Sarascens in the valleys of the Rhone and the Saône in 732. Childebrands heirs bequeated it to the abbey of "Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire".

First monks settled here 880/885. Some parts of the westwork may date back to the 9th century. 1020/1030 a romanesque basilica was constructed, one arm of the transept collapsed in 1095 - but got reconstructed soon after. 1120/1130 the narthex was added, which is a unique masterpiece. Though obviously the priory run out of funds and so the second tower was never completed. Over the next centuries more chapels were added.

The monastery burnt down in 1500 and got dissolved in 1776 by a royal order. All existing buildings but the church got demolished after the French Revolution. The church lost its crossing tower.

The spectalular narthex with the wonderful carvings survived all wars and revolutions. I had seen these elephants before, but I could not resist to take more and more photos.