Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Clair de Marat, classified as a Historic Monument, has a 15th century bell tower typical of the Livradois region. This massive square tower, reinforced by angular foothills, is surmounted by a building chaperone. The Gothic portal, decorated with niches and carved pinnacles, bears witness to the local medieval craftsmanship. Only these elements remain of the primitive building, which also included a nave, a northern collateral and a polygonal choir.

The reconstruction carried out between 1899 and 1902 by the architect Barthélémy Sauzet respected the traditional regional models: pillars, capitals and vaults take over the local architectural codes. The stained glass windows, signed by painters-glasses Francis Grand and Baratte, complete this harmonious ensemble. The bell tower and western massif, the only remains of the 15th century, were protected by arrest in 1990.

The early church, demolished during the reconstruction, consisted of a northern collateral, a nave with two side chapels to the south, and a square choir opening onto a polygonal apse. The expansion of the early 20th century allowed the building to be modernized while maintaining its historical identity, illustrating the transition between medieval heritage and neo-traditional architecture.

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