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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Pierre-de-la-Motte Chapel, located in Vendôme, is a historical monument dating back to the 11th century. According to the sources, it was founded around 1075 and was an integral part of a priory attached to the Abbey of Saint-Georges-du-Bois. Originally, the building was larger, but today only the choir and the apse remain, the nave having disappeared after the decommissioning of the church. Today's remains reflect its past importance within a monastic enclosure surrounded by walls, including houses, a tannery and a mill.

The interior of the chapel preserves remarkable architectural elements, such as carved capitals representing heads, foliage and birds. These artistic details, typical of Romanesque art, highlight the religious and cultural role of the site. After its decommissioning, the nave was used as a store, illustrating the frequent reuse of religious buildings over the centuries. The chapel, classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 6 March 1948, remains a valuable testimony to the medieval heritage of the Centre-Val de Loire region.

The whole priory, now partially disappeared, was bounded by walls and included related buildings such as a tannery and a mill. These elements suggest an autarchic monastic life, where the monks combined prayer and artisanal activities. The current location, at 11 Impasse Saint-Pierre Lamothe, recalls the old spiritual and economic vocation of this place, now integrated into the urban fabric of Vendôme.

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