Église Notre-Dame-des-Pauvres, Romanesque church in Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac, France.
Église Notre-Dame-des-Pauvres is a Romanesque church in Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac with a single nave measuring around 24 meters long and 12 meters wide. The interior displays characteristic Romanesque features including arcade buttresses and a broken barrel vault.
This church was built between 1162 and 1200 and first mentioned in records as ecclesia Beate Marie de Albrac in 1216. The bell tower was added later, constructed between 1453 and 1468, reflecting changes in building style over the centuries.
The name Notre-Dame-des-Pauvres means "Our Lady of the Poor" and reflects its historical connection to serving those in need. The plain Romanesque design you see inside reinforces this humble purpose.
The location sits at 1310 meters elevation in the high Aubrac plateau region and is accessible on foot from the village center. The church is one of few gathering places in this elevated rural area of Aveyron.
The bell tower stands out for its unusual mix of materials: the base is made of granite while the upper section uses black lava stone. This craftsmanship shows how builders creatively used locally available materials.
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