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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Domnn of Saint-Denis-Combarnazat, probably built at the beginning of the twelfth century, initially depended on a priory founded in 1052 by the Abbey of the Chair-God. This priory brought together the churches of Saint-Denis and Barnazat. The building, characteristic of auvergnat Romanesque art, is distinguished by its western facade adorned with saw teeth and polychrome diamonds in arkose and tuff. Inside, the unique nave, composed of two vaulted bays in a full-cintra cradle, precedes a choir in a flat bedside cradle, preceded by a span covered with a dome on trunks. The foothills in medium arcosis apparatus and the committed quadrangular pillars underline the sober but elaborate structure of the church.

In the 17th century, the walls of the choir were taken over in 1665, marking the first major renovations of the building. The bell tower, for its part, was modified in 1741, adopting a plan passing from the rectangular to the square, supported by the existing foothills. In the 19th century, works led by the architect Varmaire in 1892 partially transformed the interior: the dome on tubes was masked by a false ceiling, and repairs were made to the vaults, notably in 1923 by the entrepreneur Albert Lairet. These interventions reflect the Church's successive adaptations to liturgical and structural needs, while preserving original Romanesque elements such as the reticulated tympanic portal.

Among the notable architectural details, a carved stone embedded in the north foothill, probably a chancel plate, attracts attention. The exterior decor, sober but elaborate, is based on sets of contrasting devices (light and dark arkosis) and movements of archvolts. The church, classified as a Historical Monument in 2004, bears witness to nearly a thousand years of religious and architectural history, linked to the influence of the God's Chair and to local developments. The latest changes, such as the resumption of the portal and the coatings in the 20th century, complete to seal its present appearance, mixing medieval heritage and modern adaptations.

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