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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Cydroine is a Romanesque church of the 11th and 12th centuries, located in Laroche-Saint-Cydroine in Yonne. It is considered one of the oldest in the department and originally depends on a Benedictine priory attached to the Abbey of La Charité-sur-Loire. Dedicated to Saint Cydroine, a Roman martyr from the fourth century beheaded on its present location, it combines an octagonal bell tower with two floors and a rich sculptural decoration, typical of Icauna Roman art.

The present building, built in the 11th century on a hill overlooking Yonne, replaces an early abbey church cited in the 9th century. The priory, originally owned by the monks of Saint-Remy de Sens, was assigned to the Clunisian abbey of La Charité-sur-Loire. A papal mention of 1162 attests to a dispute between Benedictines and the Premonstrates of Dilo. The oldest elements (tour-clocher, choir, transept) date from the late 11th century, while the nave and other parts were added in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Ranked a historical monument in 1905, the church is distinguished by its Greek cross plan, its three circular apses and an original Romanesque interior decoration, including elephants, exotic trees and chimera motifs. Its impressive dimensions (48 m long, 10.60 m high under the vault) and its history linked to the martyrdom of St.Cydroine make it a major testimony of Burgundy's religious heritage.

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