Ennezat - Collégiale Saint-Victor et Sainte-Couronne

Around 1060 a small monastery was founded here, funded by William IV, Duke of Aquitaine (aka Fièrebrace - The Iron Arm).

The building of the romanesque church started immediately and probably only took less than 10 years. This church is counted rightly to the crown jewels of the romanesque architecture in the Auvergne by Bernard Craplet ("Auverne romane").

What makes it so interesting is, that this is the oldest of the crown jewels, as this structure is about 50 years older than Notre-Dame-du-Port, Orcival and Issoire. But it nevertheless shows already all the specific touch, the romanesque style ahs in the Auvergne.

Actually Bernard Craplet places this small church like a stepping stone between the (lost) romanesque cathedral of Étienne II/Pope Stephen II in Clermont and Notre-Dame-du-Port. Though the romanesque church is really small and not complete, this is one of the most important structures in the Auvergne.

The Collégiale Saint-Victor et Sainte-Couronne (now parish church) consists out of three architectural parts. The romanesque church with a nave, two aisles and a transept, a later added narthex and a large gothic part. The building of the gothic church from around 1280 on, took about 200 years.

There are many carved capitals in the romanesque nave. This the best known - in literature.

The "Rich Man" (or even "Avarice") showcased by two large, winged devils, holding him by his hands and his feet. He is on his way to hell. The money bag is still around the neck and down below between his knees stands a vessel. Probably an early saving box. "MUNERA DIVE" is written on the vessel. While the sinner faces the audience directly, the two devils obviously pan a wider space.

The speech scroll is holded on the left by a small devil on the side (only the facial profil and a hand can be seen here) and written by another one on the right (not to be seen here)(Sorry!) - reads "CANDO USURAM ACCEPISTSI OPERA MEA FECISTI" - well, a rough translation is "(When you) accepted usury, you worked for me".

This describes clearly - Mark 10:25 / Matthew 19:24

"..it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”