Saint-Marcel - Saint-Marcel

"Argentomagus" a Roman oppidum existed, where Saint-Marcel is today. The Roman town may have had about 5000 inhabitants. The ruins of an amphitheatre are still visible.

A legend tells, that within the third century two young, Christian missionary named Marcel d'Argenton and Anastase du Berry arrived from Rome. Marcel renewed the miracle of the Wedding at Cana, transforming water into wine, but that did not convince the Roman Praetor, who had Marcel martyred where the church is today.

In medieval times neighbouring Argenton-sur-Creuse, around its feudal castle, thrived, while Saint-Marcel was a village, that since 1285 belonged to a priory.

The current church, dedicated to Saint-Marcel, is built over a crypt of the 8th century. The erection started probably in the 11th century in Romanesque style and was completed in the 15th century with the tower in Gothic style.

The treasure of Saint-Marcel is made up of pieces of the 13th and 14th century. The treasure was hidden in 1793 with the agreement of the inhabitants and reappeared in 1802 as mysteriously as it had disappeared. So it was saved from the destruction of the Revolution.

Shrine-reliquary of the early 13th century.