Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Église Saint-Léger

Saint-Léger is the parish church of Royat in the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand. This was once the church of a priory, depending from Mozat. The structure has a complex building history. Dating back to the 11th century, the building got a first fortification within the 13th century. Construction went on and on over centuries. The same capital as before, now from a different pov. While Zygmunt Świechowski ("Sculpture romane d'Auvergne") had the idea of "virtues", Bernard Craplet ("Auvergne romane") quotes Émile Mâle, having deciphered this capital. Note that the beard seems cut (a bit unpropper) and remember, that the "soldier" wears civilian clothes and seems floating. Following Émile Mâle, this carving illustrates Book of Ezekiel 5.1 1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair. 2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

Saint-Léger is the parish church of Royat in the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand. This was once the church of a priory, depending from Mozat. The structure has a complex building history. Dating back to the 11th century, the building got a first fortification within the 13th century. Construction went on and on over centuries. The left of the capitals in the nave just seen (on the preceding photo). There is a grape bearing vine to the right. Next is a young person holding a sword. On the left a bearded man, holding a scale. I had the impression, that this was a kind of echo of the "virtues", seen in Volvic (15mks north), where a soldier, holding a spear, stands for "fortitudo" and a man, holding a scale" stands for "iustitia". Actually even the fence-like background of the carvings is similar. Zygmunt Świechowski ("Sculpture romane d'Auvergne") had the same idea. But why does the soldier wears civilian clothes, why is he floating. There is another theory - see the next photo.

Saint-Léger is the parish church of Royat in the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand. This was once the church of a priory, depending from Mozat. The structure has a complex building history. Dating back to the 11th century, the structure got a first fortification within the 13th century. Construction went on and on. The unique skyline was created within the 19th century, when the tower got the battlement, so now it looks more like a castle than a church. Approaching Royat by car gives (for 3 seconds at 40km/h) a dramatic view onto this skyline, as (not to seen here) Saint-Léger is standing on a deep gulch, what actually is a congealed lava stream

Saint-Léger is the parish church of Royat in the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand. This was once the church of a priory, depending from Mozat. The structure has a complex building history. Dating back to the 11th century, the building got a first fortification within the 13th century. Construction went on and on over centuries. Facing east through the narrow, but high nave. The old romanesque apse is gone and replaced by a rectangular choir, built over a (new) crypt. There are only two notable capitals, both seen from here, as they are in the middle of the nave. While the pretty right one is the common "foliage-type", the left one tells a story.