Église Saint-Pierre-l'Estrier d'Autun, Medieval church in Saint Pierre l'Etrier, Autun, France.
Église Saint-Pierre-l'Estrier is a medieval church with a ninth-century nave featuring Carolingian arcades and an eastern section built in the early eleventh century. The building was converted into a barn after the French Revolution, with its original walls and triumphal arch surviving despite the destruction of the choir.
This building originated as a fourth-century funerary basilica, serving as a necropolis for Autun's earliest bishops and built on the site of a Gallo-Roman villa. Later reconstructions occurred between the ninth and eleventh centuries, reflecting the region's changing architectural tastes.
The carved capitals on the eastern facade display leaf patterns from the 11th century, representing rare examples of Burgundian Romanesque craftsmanship. These stone details reveal the artistic skill that medieval artisans brought to religious buildings in the region.
The site is viewable from outside and displays its medieval structure despite its former agricultural use. It helps to take time observing the facade details and the remains of interior structures.
Excavations in 2020 uncovered roughly 150 burials and a glass vessel inscribed with 'VIVAS FELICITER', the first of its kind discovered in France. This discovery illuminated the site's importance as an early Christian burial ground.
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