|
 The
history of Charlieu only really starts around 870, at the time of the creation of the
Benedictine Abbey on the banks of the river Sornin. Linked to Cluny around 920-940, the
monastery was reduced to priory before 1040. Very prosperous, around it, it saw a market
town develop that feudal rivalries and the hundred years war forced it to fortify
(Philippe-Auguste tower – end 12th century).Digs carried out at the
Benedictine Abbey from 1926 unearthed the foundations of three churches constructed on the
same site in the 9th 10th and 11th century. The last is
the church of St Fortuné, built in 1094 by St Hugues of Cluny. Only the rear bay, the
façade, and the narthex added to the front at the beginning of the 12th
century remains. The tympanum of the portal of the narthex, a masterpiece of roman art
features carvings of Christ and evangelist symbols; the lintel – the Blessed Virgin
with two angels and the On the right, there is a beautiful arched opening with, on its tympanum, the wedding at Cana. The cloister itself dates to the second half of the 15th century. It opens
to the east onto the chapter house, built in the beginning of the 16th century,
by a well conserved colonnade, no doubt deriving from an older cloister. From this room,
in Also on the east of the cloisters, two museums were set up : in the old parlour, a carvings museum (Daniel in the lions den, the Annunciation,…), and in an ancient cellar, a religious art museum (15th – 19th century). By a monumental crenellated door, you enter the courtyard of the "Hôtel du prieur" which, built at the beginning of the 16th century, possesses a beautiful wooden framework. |
apostles.
which the lectern is built into a central
stone pillar, you move to the prior chapel (end 15th century), topped by a
wooden pointed roof.