Saint-Pierre le Puellier, Medieval church ruins in Tours, France
Saint-Pierre le Puellier is a church building in Tours with its northern aisle partially preserved near Place Plumereau. The remains display Gothic features dating from the 12th century and offer insight into the medieval architecture of the region.
A monastery existed here possibly from the 6th century, though its founding by Queen Clotilde is not attested by any source. The monastery is first mentioned in the 8th century, and a new Gothic church was built between 1170 and 1180. Sold as national property on 7 December 1791, the buildings were demolished by their new owners, leaving only the remains of an aisle.
The name derives from the Latin puellarum, "young women", after the nuns of the monastery founded on the site. Around 950 pilgrim medals were made at or near the monastery, and in 1199 Philip Augustus authorised the canons to practise trial by water and fire. The remains are now a private dwelling.
The surviving aisle was converted into a dwelling and is not open as a church; it is inscribed as a monument historique since 1946. The excavated cloister area nearby was turned into an archaeological garden left open to the air after digs between 1968 and 1972. Approach from Place Plumereau, just to the south, and view the masonry from the street.
The location hosted medieval judicial trials using fire and water as evidence, revealing its role in local justice and administration. These ritual proceedings highlight the site's importance beyond religious purposes in medieval city governance.
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