Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Blaise de La Celle, located in the department of Cher (region Centre-Val de Loire), is a religious building of Romanesque origin, attested from the beginning of the 12th century as priory dependent on the Abbey of Deols. Damaged in 1156 when Raoul de Charenton looted the village, it was rebuilt in the second half of the 12th century, partially retaining the lateral walls of the early nave. Its architectural irregularities (disaxed windows, oculi) suggest an initial frame cover. The church houses a remarkable set of carved capitals and medieval frescoes, including an ex-voto linked to Charenton's abuses and a representation of Saint Christophe.

In the 15th century, bow-buttons were added south side to stabilize the structure, followed in 1735 by reinforcements north side. In 1898, architect Georges Honoré Darcy rebuilt the vault as the cradle of the nave, replaced by hollow bricks to ease the pressure on the walls, while restoring the south arches. The square bell tower, with its geminous bays, houses four bells, including the Sylvaine (16th century). The church was listed as a Historic Monument in 1840, bearing witness to its heritage importance.

The building is dedicated to Saint Blaise, patron of the Carriers, in connection with the local quarries exploited since Roman times, which provided stones for the Bourges Cathedral and the Abbaye de Noirlac. It also houses the tomb of Saint Sylvain (XII century), Apostle of the Berry, transferred in 1897 from the nearby chapel Saint Sylvain. This mausoleum, classified in 1913, is decorated with carved scenes evoking the life of the saint. A fresco of Notre-Dame de Pitié and Gallo-Roman tombstones in use complete this heritage.

The furniture includes statues of Saint Claire of Assisi, Saint Clair (martyr), and paintings like a Supper from the Abbey of Noirlac. A local association, founded in 1988, actively participates in the restoration (roof in 1997, stained glass in 2011). The architecture mixes Romanesque influences (Benedictine cap, octagonal cupola) and Gothic (archs-buttons), while the sober facade presents enigmatic bas-reliefs of wrestlers, possibly linked to a sacrament.

La Celle's quarries, attested since ancient times, played a key role in regional construction. Their famous stone also served to build the underground church of Bourges and the Cistercian abbey of Noirlac. The cult of Saint Blaise, a fourth-century Armenian doctor, spread throughout the West in the Middle Ages, making this church a place of devotion for stone tailors and carriers, major corporations in the region.

External links