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Origin and history

The church Saint-Blaise de Mazille is a Romanesque building located in the department of Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy-Franche-Comté. Built in the Middle Ages, it was mentioned in 962 when Adon, Bishop of Mâcon, attributed it to the monks of Cluny. Its architecture, marked by a semi-circular apse adorned with Lombard bands and a Romanesque bell tower with geminied bays, reflects the clunisian influence.

Ranked a historical monument by decree of 22 October 1913, the church was reported the previous year by the Macon Academy as one of the 12 most remarkable buildings in the district. Its furniture, dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, includes gilded wooden statues, including that of Saint Blaise, patron of the church, and a Virgin with Child. A retable by Michel Bouillot, formerly present, now adorns the Abbey of Tournus.

The church retains notable architectural elements, such as a roman bedside covered with lauzes and a bell tower pierced with bolt holes. It remains an active Catholic place of worship, attached to the Diocese of Autun and the parish of Cluny-Saint-Benoît. Its history is closely linked to that of the order of Cluny, on which it depended from the tenth century.

The site, owned by the municipality of Mazille, illustrates the Burgundian Romanesque heritage. Its location below the village, in a green valley, reinforces its picturesque character. The statues of Saint Blaise and the Virgin, as well as a Christ on a cross above the triumphal arch, testify to his artistic and spiritual richness.

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