Church Saint-Hilaire le Grand, Romanesque church in Poitiers, France

Church Saint-Hilaire le Grand is a former basilica and collegiate church in Poitiers, built from the 11th century. Its nave is flanked by tall cylindrical columns with simple block capitals that carry round arches, and a clerestory of small arched openings lights the pale stone interior. A dark wooden organ with vertical pipes stands on a gallery supported by stone arches.

The church was built over the tomb of Saint Hilary and underwent multiple reconstructions following destructions by Vandals in 412 and by Huns in 453. Its dedication in 1049 marked an important moment in establishing this as a major religious center.

The church keeps the relics of Saint Hilary, its founder, which drew pilgrims on the route to Santiago de Compostela; it is listed with that route as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. In June 1172 Richard the Lionheart received the insignia of ducal power here. The dark wooden organ with vertical pipes stands on a stone gallery on the right of the nave.

The nave is entered from the west through the surviving 15th-century Gothic portal, now set in a provisional facade. Inside, the 19th-century restoration replaced the lost nave vaults, so the five original bays read differently from the choir and transept. Look up at the clerestory openings that light the upper walls.

In June 1172, Richard the Lionheart received the insignia of ducal power inside this church from the local bishop and the Archbishop of Bordeaux. The ceremony tied the Plantagenet heir to the shrine of Saint Hilary, which had already been a pilgrimage stop on the roads to Santiago de Compostela.