Musée eucharistique du Hiéron, Religious art museum in Paray-le-Monial, France
The Musée eucharistique du Hiéron is a religious art museum in Paray-le-Monial housed in a metal and glass structure built between 1890 and 1893 by architect Noël Bion. The building features an iron framework inspired by Gustave Eiffel's engineering style and contains artworks from multiple European traditions.
The museum opened in 1893 as France's first purpose-built religious art museum, founded through the efforts of Jesuit Victor Drevon and Baron Alexis de Sarachaga. Their shared vision established a new type of institution dedicated exclusively to sacred art.
The name Hiéron comes from a Greek word meaning sacred place and reflects the museum's role as a site of veneration. Visitors will notice how the building and its collection connect to the pilgrimage tradition that has shaped this town.
The museum is open from March through January, Wednesday to Sunday, with longer hours during summer months and offers free admission. Visitors can explore the building and collection at their own pace without worrying about entry costs.
The museum houses a 12th-century Romanesque portal originally from the church of Anzy-le-Duc, making it a rare architectural element within the collection. In 2007, forty paintings by artist Jean-Georges Cornélius were added, significantly expanding what visitors encounter.
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