Abbaye Saint-Pierre d'Uzerche, Romanesque abbey church in Uzerche, France.

The former Benedictine abbey church of Saint-Pierre d'Uzerche stands on a rocky spur above the Vézère. It has a tall square tower with a clock and pointed roof, a nave with side aisles under a tiled roof, and a polygonal chapel projecting near the chevet. Inside, pale limestone piers carry round arches and a pointed barrel vault, with a wooden pulpit on one pier and a crucifix on another.

A fire destroyed part of the monastery in 1028, and reconstruction of the church began soon after under Abbot Pierre de Donzenac. The main altar was consecrated around 1085, and the church was dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Andrew in 1097. In 1575 troops of the vicomte de Turenne occupied Uzerche and damaged the abbey; repairs followed in 1622 under prior Antoine Pontier.

The Romanesque stone carvings on the columns and doorways show how craftsmen worked in the 11th century. You can see these details today and notice the skill required to create them by hand.

The abbey sits at the top of the town's hill and offers free parking nearby. It is easy to reach on foot by walking up from the old town center.

Beneath the abbey lies an underground crypt containing remains from the 5th century. These ancient traces reveal that a sacred place existed on this site long before the stone church was built.