Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: clerestory

In the center of the village, there is the church św. Wojciecha (= Saint Adalbert of Prague). It was founded in 1231 by the bishop of Cracow. Its construction was connected with the fact that there was a large ecclesiastical property of the Krakow bishops in this place. The church is of Romanesque origin, but it was rebuilt and restored several times, mainly in the Baroque style. The interior is clearly Romanesque, note the clerestory.

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 transept and a crossing tower, a later added narthex added and a gothic part. Looking across the nave to the entrance on the southern side entrance (the portal outside is recent). There is a clear architectoral structure. The bays, and above the gallery and the clerestory behind. This may not seem spectacular, but it is, as it is at least 50 years older, than the well known churches, having this layout.

Liutgarde of Vermandois, daughter of (Carolingian) Herbert II, widow of William I of Normandy (aka "William Longsword", "Guillaume Longue-Épée") and spouse of Theobald I (aka "Theobald the Trickster", "Thibaud le Tricheur"), donated her property at Gesiacum (= Juziers) including the existing church to the Abbey of Saint-Pierre in Chartres in 978. Soon after Comtesse Luitgarde died and the monks established a priory here. Within the 11th century the nave of Saint-Michel got erected. The choir got added about a century later. During the Wars of Religion the buildings burnt down, but a rebuilding process started again. It started to crumble again. After the Revolution the priory did not exist any longer. For a while the church was used as an "atelier de salpêtre", what meant high explosives were stored and handled here. Some poor restoration had been done in the early years of the 19th century, before Prosper Mérimée added the building to the lists of "Monuments Historiques" in 1850. The very knowledgeable, friendly lady gave us a great tour and even switched the light on. Here is the early Gothic chevet, erected around 1150 - and up to the French Revolution reserved strictly for the monks of the priory. The lower level consists of blind arcades topped by a large window within each section of the wall. The second level has added a blind triforium with a passageway that encircles the apse. The chevet has tall colonnettes that reach up from the floor with vaults springing at the base of the clerestory. The clerestory contains a single lancet window within each section, smaller than those of the first level.

Liutgarde of Vermandois, daughter of (Carolingian) Herbert II, widow of William I of Normandy (aka "William Longsword", "Guillaume Longue-Épée") and spouse of Theobald I (aka "Theobald the Trickster", "Thibaud le Tricheur"), donated her property at Gesiacum (= Juziers) including the existing church to the Abbey of Saint-Pierre in Chartres in 978. Soon after Comtesse Luitgarde died and the monks established a priory here. Within the 11th century the nave of Saint-Michel got erected. The choir got added about a century later. During the Wars of Religion the buildings burnt down, but a rebuilding process started again. It started to crumble again. After the Revolution the priory did not exist any longer. For a while the church was used as an "atelier de salpêtre", what meant high explosives were stored and handled here. Some poor restoration had been done in the early years of the 19th century, before Prosper Mérimée added the building to the lists of "Monuments Historiques" in 1850. The very knowledgeable, friendly lady gave us a great tour and even switched the light on. The five-bay nave and the aisles date back to 1055 and show a Carolingian influence. The clerestory is very high. The vaulting was probably done in the 18th or 19th century. Standing in the center of the choir, facing back to the entrance. The two arches opening to the transept-arms are uneven since the major repair had to be done after the crossing tower had collapsed within the 18th century.

Liutgarde of Vermandois, daughter of (Carolingian) Herbert II, widow of William I of Normandy (aka "William Longsword", "Guillaume Longue-Épée") and spouse of Theobald I (aka "Theobald the Trickster", "Thibaud le Tricheur"), donated her property at Gesiacum (= Juziers) including the existing church to the Abbey of Saint-Pierre in Chartres in 978. Soon after Comtesse Luitgarde died and the monks established a priory here. Within the 11th century the nave of Saint-Michel got erected. The choir got added about a century later. During the Wars of Religion the buildings burnt down, but a rebuilding process started again. It started to crumble again. After the Revolution the priory did not exist any longer. For a while the church was used as an "atelier de salpêtre", what meant high explosives were stored and handled here. Some poor restoration had been done in the early years of the 19th century, before Prosper Mérimée added the building to the lists of "Monuments Historiques" in 1850. The very knowledgeable, friendly lady gave us a great tour and even switched the light on. The five-bay nave and the aisles date back to 1055 and show a Carolingian influence. The clerestory is very high. The vaulting was probably done in the 19th century or, after the crossing tower had collapsed within the 18th century.