Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The collegiate Saint-Barnard de Romans-sur-Isère was founded in 838, when Barnard, archbishop of Vienna, founded a Benedictine abbey on the banks of the Isère, originally dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. After his death in 842 and his canonization in 944, the monastery gradually took his name. Destroyed by the Normans in 860, it was rebuilt from 908, but was again looted in 932 by Silvion de Clérieu, nicknamed the "Incendiary", which forced its partial reconstruction. Between 932 and 939, the monks were replaced by canons, and the cult of the relics of Saint Barnard attracted pilgrims, reinforcing its religious importance.

In 1025 Léger de Clérieu, descendant of Silvion, became Abbé then Archbishop of Vienna in 1031, unifying the rights to Romans and his abbey. He partially rebuilt the abbey after fires and built a bridge over the Isère, promoting urban development. In 1134, a new fire ravaged the monastery, requiring a reconstruction of which today remains Romanesque remains. In the 13th century, Archbishop Jean de Bernin added Gothic elements (transept, choir), while the Wars of Religion (1562, 1567) severely damaged the church, causing a slow reconstruction from 1652 onwards.

Ranked a historic monument in 1840 by Prosper Mérimée, the college lost its Romanesque cloister in the 19th century despite protests. Dynamitage of the Old Bridge in 1940 and revolutionary destruction also marked its history. Today, it combines Romanesque nave (XII century) and Gothic parts (XIIIth–XVth), with remarkable carved capitals and medieval paintings in the choir. Its Romanesque portal, although mutilated, bears witness to southern influences, while the triforium and vaults reflect later Gothic additions.

External links