Church of Saint-Blaise à Auzelles dans le Puy-de-Dôme

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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Blaise, located in Auzelles in Puy-de-Dôme, is a religious building with three naves and polygonal choir, framed by two apsidioles. From Romanesque origin, it was deeply transformed in the 14th and 16th centuries. In the 14th century, a fortified elliptical tower, crowned with mâchicoulis, was added to the south, while the whole was redesigned to incorporate ogival vaults. A square bell tower, also fortified, dominates the gate whose vantals retain remarkable wrought iron hangers.

Inside, a 16th-century fresco adorns the dripper wall of the southern chapel. This rectangular panel, representing the Descent of the Cross with in the background the city of Jerusalem stylized, bears witness to a larger painted decoration today gone. The lower left angle, cut into a circle arc without breaking the border, suggests the ancient existence of an opening at this location.

Classified as a Historical Monument in 1983 for its church and wall painting, this building illustrates the evolution of religious buildings in Auvergne, mixing spiritual and defensive functions. The successive changes reflect the need for protection during the late Middle Ages, while the Renaissance fresco attests to the local artistic richness.

The church now belongs to the municipality of Auzelles. Its portal, defensive systems and interior decorations make it an example of the fortified religious heritage of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

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