Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Don Chapel, located in the eponymous district of Riom, is a 11th and 12th century Romanesque building, deeply marked by its medieval history. Archaeological excavations revealed a Merovingian occupation of the site, confirmed by discoveries of coins, as well as the remains of a nearby Carolingian village. These elements attest to an ancient human settlement, well before the construction of the present chapel.

Originally, the chapel was known as the rural church of Cerers, dependent on the diocese of Auvergne. In 1146, Amouric, bishop of Clermont, donated it to the abbey of Saint-Amable, of which she became an addiction. The historian Edmond Morand established a link between this church of Cerers and the chapel of Saint Don, consolidating its anchor in local religious history. The building, of simple plan (retangular nave and circular apse), was renovated in the seventeenth century, notably by the addition of a cradle vault.

During the Revolution in 1792, the revolutionary authorities envisaged its destruction, but the project aborted because of the lack of a municipal response. The chapel was then sold as a national property. Saved by the will of François-René Archon-Desperouses in 1868, it was attached to the church of Saint-Amable as a relief chapel in 1872. Its classification as historic monuments on December 7, 1914, dedicated its heritage value.

Interior preserves remarkable elements, such as an 11th-century cubic altar decorated with Christian monograms and coloured motifs (grey, white, yellow, red). A coat of arms of the chapter of Saint-Amable, located above a door of the nave, also recalls its connection with this abbey. These details illustrate both its spiritual and artistic role in the region.

Historical sources, such as Edmond Morand's work or the INRAP reports, highlight the archaeological and religious importance of the site. The chapel thus embodies almost a thousand years of history, from the Merovingian origins to its modern protection, including Baroque reshuffles and revolutionary tumults.

External links