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Origin and history

The Commanderie of the Hôpital-Chaufranche, located at Saint-Cirgues-de-Malbert in the Cantal, was built at the hinge of the 12th and 13th centuries. Archaeological excavations revealed graves on the site, confirming its ancient occupation. The Romanesque choir, with a flat bedside and arched in a cradle, is pierced by a bay characteristic of this period. The nave, posterior, is distinguished by less thick walls and a higher height, while traces of coated and decorative coats remain on the walls.

The house, erected around 1460, illustrates the defensive architecture of the late Middle Ages with its rectangular dungeon and a semicircular staircase turret. Inside, the original structure is preserved, including monumental chimneys on both levels. These elements recall the regional strongholds, adapted to the residential and military needs of hospital commanders.

The commandory has been protected since 2010 as historical monuments, covering the entire site: chapel, fortified house and archaeological ground. Its history is part of that of the order of St John of Jerusalem, whose possessions in Auvergne, like this priory, served as spiritual, economic and hospital relays between the 12th and 16th centuries.

Archaeological research, particularly those cited by Laurent d'Agostino (2010), highlights the importance of funeral spaces in these institutions. The burials discovered in Chaufranche confirm its role in local commemorative and religious practices, linked to both members of the order and the surrounding populations.

The building thus combines religious functions (chapel), residential (logis) and memorials (sepultures), reflecting the multifunctionality of hospital control. Its hybrid architecture — between primitive and late Gothic novels — makes it a rare testimony to the evolution of needs and styles between the upper and lower Middle Ages in Auvergne.

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