St. Cosmas' Church, Medieval church in Saint-Côme-d'Olt, France.
St. Cosmas' Church is a Flamboyant Gothic church whose west portal by Antoine Salvanh carries a tympanum of three statues, their heads cut off during the Revolution. Between the two oak door leaves stands a large statue of St. Peter under a canopy, and above the rose window is a figure of St. John the Baptist. The nave has three bays with side aisles, and the 42-metre twisted bell tower rises from a square base to an octagonal top.
The parish church of Saint-Pierre de la Bouysse stood northeast of the village in the 11th century. In December 1521 Guy de Castelnau, bishop of Périgueux, authorised enlarging the castle chapel, and from 1522 Antoine Salvanh, architect of Rodez Cathedral's bell tower, built the Gothic portal; the oak doors were hung in 1532. The tower was struck by lightning and rebuilt in 1627, 1802, 1860, 1920 and 1990.
The two oak door leaves, hung in 1532, each carry nine carved medallions framed by 365 forged nails. The middle medallion of the upper row shows the arms of François d'Estaing, Bishop of Rodez: three lilies beneath a gold chief with mitre and crozier. The panels honour benefactors of the House of d'Estaing.
The building sits in the historic center of Saint-Côme-d'Olt in the Aveyron region and is easily accessible on foot. Visitor hours may vary by season, so checking ahead is wise before planning a visit.
The 42-metre bell tower is a twisted spire, its square base turning octagonal to carry an eight-sided framework. Lightning struck it in 1627, 1802, 1860, 1920 and 1990, and it was rebuilt each time. The architect was Antoine Salvanh, who also built the bell tower of Rodez Cathedral.
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