St-Pierre, Romanesque church in Chauvigny, France
St-Pierre is a Romanesque church in the upper town of Chauvigny, in the Vienne department of France. Its five-bay nave is flanked by side aisles, and the choir opens onto three rounded chapels topped by octagonal domes.
Building work began at the end of the 11th century and was finished in the early 12th century. The church was built under the patronage of the bishops of Poitiers, who held authority over the upper town.
The choir capitals display intricately carved scenes and figures from medieval visual traditions. These carvings tell of the artistic skill of the craftspeople who created them.
The church sits in the upper town of Chauvigny among other medieval buildings, so it is easy to visit alongside the rest of the hilltop site. Guided tours are available in season for those who want a closer look at the stonework.
The carved capitals in the choir show demons, fantastical creatures, and angels packed together with a detail that is rare even for Romanesque churches of this region. Some figures are so unusual that scholars still debate what they were meant to represent.
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