Prieuré Notre-Dame d'Anzy-le-Duc

Anzy-le-Duc

Around 876, the lord Letbald and his wife gave their villa of "Enziacum" to the abbey of Saint-Martin at Autun, which around 880 founded a Benedictine priory there, entrusted to the monk Hugues de Poitiers. First prior, dying in the odour of sanctity around 930, Hugues became the object of a fervent cult: his relics were solemnly translated in 1001 and the miracles attributed to his tomb drew crowds of pilgrims — it was to receive them that the present church was built, the crypt in the early 11th century, choir and transept around 1080, nave around 1110. A masterpiece of Brionnais Romanesque art, it bears a magnificent octagonal bell tower with three storeys of paired openings and preserves some forty historiated capitals, biblical scenes and allegories. Three carved portals made it a major stopping place: the Ascension on the west portal, the great priory portal of around 1140 (Adoration of the Magi and Last Judgement), and the Arcy portal, now in the Musée du Hiéron at Paray-le-Monial, showing a rare Virgin nursing the Child. Its history was harsh: tomb desecrated by the Huguenots in 1576, fire set by the Catholic League in 1594, bell tower struck by lightning in 1652. Bought in 1808 by four villagers, the church became a parish church in 1818 and was listed as early as 1851.

Getting there : Village of Anzy-le-Duc, between Marcigny and Paray-le-Monial (D982 then D10); parking in the village, parish church freely open in daytime, remains of the adjoining priory buildings.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound