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Origin and history

The church Saint-Georges de Compains, located in the Puy-de-Dôme department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, is a religious building built mainly in the thirteenth century. Its architecture, of cruciform plan, includes a nave of two spans, a transept, and a choir finished with a five-sided apse. The bell tower, overlooking the cross of the transept, is accessible by a staircase turret added in the 15th century. This turret is decorated with a screaming head called Salguebru or Salgabri, a typical sculpture of the Auvergne designed to keep demons away and protect from thunderstorms, reflecting local medieval beliefs.

Ranked a historic monument on April 16, 1904, the church houses remarkable furniture, including a 13th century copper shawl, 12th or 13th century gate pens, and a 12th or 13th century baptismal tank, all protected as historical monuments. These elements illustrate the religious and artistic importance of the building throughout the centuries. The atypical orientation of the church (east-north-east/west-south-west) and its narrow windows, adapted to the harsh climate, underline its anchoring in the landscape and architectural traditions of Auvergne.

The building, owned by the commune of Compains, embodies the medieval rural heritage of the region. Its steeple, crowned with an arrow, and its stair turret — with its apotropaic sculpture — bear witness to the spiritual and practical concerns of the builders. The Salguebru, present in several churches in Auvergne (Allanche, Fontanges, etc.), had the symbolic function of dispelling evil spirits and protecting bell ringers during storms, according to ancient texts. These details give the church a historical, cultural and legendary dimension.

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