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Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Sylvain de La Celle, located outside the village on the commune of the same name (Department of Cher), finds its origins in the 12th century as a Benedictine priorial chapel depending on Deols. The oldest remains, dated the twelfth century, are found in the north transept, while those of the thirteenth century, now in ruins, belonged to the bedside. The building was thoroughly renovated in the 13th, 15th and 16th centuries, with a major reconstruction of the nave and transept south between the second half of the 15th century and the first quarter of the 16th century, financed by the Gouge family.

The chapel once housed the tomb and relics of Saint Sylvain, objects of worship and medieval pilgrimages. These elements were transferred in 1897 to the church of Saint-Blaise de La Celle because of the state of the building's advanced degradation. Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 19 October 1891, the chapel preserves partially erased murals made between the 15th and 17th centuries. They depict religious scenes (Zacchaeus, Saint Peter, Saint Sylvestre) as well as coat of arms, perhaps those of the house of Bar.

Architecturally, the chapel adopts a Latin cross plan, with a single span nave and a portal decorated with bas-reliefs. The choir, destroyed in the 13th century, suggests a larger original size. The frescoes, although degraded, bear witness to the artistic and spiritual importance of the site, linked to the local devotion to Saint Sylvain. The monument, owned by the commune, remains a significant vestige of the religious heritage of the Centre-Val de Loire.

Historical sources, such as the works of Eugene-Pierre Duroisel (1893), underline the central role of the chapel in regional religious life. Its decline in the 19th century, marked by the transfer of relics, contrasts with its previous status as a high medieval pilgrimage site. Today, it illustrates both the architectural evolution of religious buildings and the changes in cultural practices in Berry.

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