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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-du-Port de Clermont-Ferrand Basilica, built between 1120 and the end of the 12th century, is a masterpiece of Auvergne Romanesque architecture. Built in blonde arkose, it is distinguished by its massive barlong, carved capitals and bedside decorated with fine mosaics. Its name comes from the "Le Port" district, a former place of storage of goods, attested from 1065. Originally called "Saint Mary Principal", it was served by canons from the tenth century, secularized before the thirteenth century.

According to tradition, a first church was founded in the 6th century by Saint Avit on a Gallo-Roman spring, then rebuilt after the Norman ravages of the 9th century by Saint Sigon. However, these stories are more of a legend, although a building prior to the current basilica is confirmed by sources from the tenth century. The present church, classified as a historical monument in 1840 and raised to the rank of minor basilica in 1881, was badly damaged by earthquakes in the 15th and 16th centuries, and then restored several times, especially after the Revolution.

The basilica houses a black Virgin venerated for at least the fifteenth century, with a present statue dating from 1734, copy of an older original. It became a major pilgrimage site from the seventeenth century, with an annual procession institutionalized in 1614. The canons of the Port, the second chapter of Clermont after that of the cathedral, played a key role in its development. The building, marked by successive restorations (XIX-21 century), combines architectural sobriety and sacred symbolism, with 19th-century stained glass windows and 17th-15th-century paintings.

Ranked a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 for its link to the Santiago de Compostela roads, the basilica is distinguished by its Latin cross plan, its walk-through and its four radiant chapels. Its southern tympanum, rare in Auvergne, depicts scenes of Christ's life, while its capitals combine ornamental motifs and biblical accounts. The use of volcanic stones in the bedside and the presence of re-used ancient blocks testify to its historic anchoring.

Modern restorations (2006–2008) have enabled the original appearance of stones to be restored, the canal tiles to be restored and the 19th century frescoes to be highlighted. Today, the basilica remains an active place of worship, with an annual procession in May, and a symbol of the religious and artistic heritage of Auvergne.

Future

The Notre-Dame-du-Port Basilica is one of 71 monuments and 7 portions of paths have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1998 under the official title of "Chemins de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle en France".

It was at the edge of one of the 4 classic tracks (Via Turonensis, Via Lemovicensis, Via Podiensis and Via Tolosana). The pilgrims therefore had to make a detour to visit it.

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