Church of Saint-Blaise à La Godivelle dans le Puy-de-Dôme

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Blaise church, located in La Godivelle in Puy-de-Dôme, is a typical example of the auvergnat Romanesque style. Built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, it is distinguished by its semicircular bedside decorated with carved modillons representing the seven capital sins. Its sober stone architecture, covered with slate, reflects its adaptation to the harsh climate of the Cézallier massif.

The original nave and choir date back to the 11th and 11th centuries, while the bell tower, destroyed during the Revolution, was rebuilt in the 19th century. The building underwent several modifications: expansion of the nave in the late 13th or early 14th century, addition of a Gothic portal in the 15th century, and construction of a sacristy and side chapels in the 19th century. These transformations illustrate its architectural evolution over the centuries.

The roman bedside, the most remarkable element, presents a cornice supported by six carved modillons symbolizing six capital sins, the seventh (gourmet) being represented under the axial window. Inside, the cul-de-four vaulted apse and the roughly designed capitals (bifide siren, snake) testify to the local craftsmanship. The church, classified as a historical monument in 2022, embodies the rural religious heritage of the Auvergne.

Isolated in a difficult climatic agricultural territory, this granite and basalt church served as a place of worship and assembly for a dispersed population. Its simple yet robust architecture met the needs of a rural community, while respecting the canons of the novel Auvergnat. Subsequent changes, such as replacing lauzes with slates in 1901, reflect technical and aesthetic adaptations over time.

The modillons of the bedside, although of a rough bill, offer an expressive representation of the capital sins, typical of didactic Romanesque art. Their presence suggests a desire to educate the faithful through accessible symbols. The addition of a stained glass window representing the Trinity and the arrangement of a transept in the 19th century show an evolution of liturgical practices and a desire for progressive beautification of the building.

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